The Meaning of Nehemiah 6:9 Explained

Nehemiah 6:9

KJV: For they all made us afraid, saying, Their hands shall be weakened from the work, that it be not done. Now therefore, O God, strengthen my hands.

YLT: for all of them are making us afraid, saying, 'Their hands are too feeble for the work, and it is not done;' and now, strengthen Thou my hands.

Darby: For they all would have made us afraid, saying, Their hands shall be slackened from the work, that it be not carried out. Now therefore strengthen my hands!

ASV: For they all would have made us afraid, saying, Their hands shall be weakened from the work, that it be not done. But now, O God , strengthen thou my hands.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

For they all made us afraid,  saying,  Their hands  shall be weakened  from the work,  that it be not done.  Now therefore, [O God], strengthen  my hands. 

What does Nehemiah 6:9 Mean?

Context Summary

Nehemiah 6:1-19 - A Great Task-A Safeguard From Danger
How often Satan tries to call us off from our work for God! He cannot endure to see us engaged so eagerly on our Master's business and therefore raises up all sorts of hindrances and hostilities. Amid all these we have but one duty to perform. We must lose ourselves in our work. Ours to reply, "I am doing a great work, I cannot come down; why should the work cease?" If we will see to God's business, He will see to our safety. False friends, who prophesy in God's name, are more to be dreaded than open foes. We must learn to discern the spirits. The counsel which savors of self is always to be suspected. Note that Nehemiah considered that to have fear would have been to sin. But God was with the little band through dangers, and the wall was finished in spite of all opposition, 1 Corinthians 15:58. [source]

Chapter Summary: Nehemiah 6

1  Sanballat practices by craft, by rumors, and by hired prophecies, to terrify Nehemiah
15  The work is finished, to the terror of the enemies
17  Secret intelligence passes between the enemies and the nobles of Judah

What do the individual words in Nehemiah 6:9 mean?

For they all [were trying to] make afraid us saying will be weakened their hands in the work and not it will be done Therefore now [O God] strengthen - my hands
כִּ֣י כֻלָּ֗ם מְיָֽרְאִ֤ים אוֹתָ֙נוּ֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר יִרְפּ֧וּ יְדֵיהֶ֛ם מִן־ הַמְּלָאכָ֖ה וְלֹ֣א תֵעָשֶׂ֑ה וְעַתָּ֖ה חַזֵּ֥ק אֶת־ יָדָֽי

כֻלָּ֗ם  they  all 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine plural
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
מְיָֽרְאִ֤ים  [were  trying  to]  make  afraid 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Participle, masculine plural
Root: יָרֵא 
Sense: to fear, revere, be afraid.
אוֹתָ֙נוּ֙  us 
Parse: Direct object marker, first person common plural
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
לֵאמֹ֔ר  saying 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
יִרְפּ֧וּ  will  be  weakened 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: רָפָה  
Sense: to sink, relax, sink down, let drop, be disheartened.
יְדֵיהֶ֛ם  their  hands 
Parse: Noun, fdc, third person masculine plural
Root: יָד  
Sense: hand.
הַמְּלָאכָ֖ה  the  work 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: מְלָאכָה  
Sense: occupation, work, business.
וְלֹ֣א  and  not 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
תֵעָשֶׂ֑ה  it  will  be  done 
Parse: Verb, Nifal, Imperfect, third person feminine singular
Root: עָשָׂה 
Sense: to do, fashion, accomplish, make.
וְעַתָּ֖ה  Therefore  now  [O  God] 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb
Root: עַתָּה  
Sense: now.
חַזֵּ֥ק  strengthen 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Imperative, masculine singular
Root: חָזַק  
Sense: to strengthen, prevail, harden, be strong, become strong, be courageous, be firm, grow firm, be resolute, be sore.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
יָדָֽי  my  hands 
Parse: Noun, fdc, first person common singular
Root: יָד  
Sense: hand.