Nehemiah 4:15
in Nehemiah 4When our enemies heard that we were aware of their scheme and that God had frustrated it, each of us returned to his own work on the wall.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And it came to pass, when our enemies heard that it was known unto us, and God had brought their counsel to nought, that we returned all of us to the wall, every one unto his work.
KJV
And it came to pass, when our enemies heard that it was known unto us, and God had brought their counsel to nought, that we returned all of us to the wall, every one unto his work.
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This verse in Nehemiah 4
Commentary
7 notes on this verseWhen they found that their design was discovered, and that the Jews were upon their guard, they concluded that it was to no purpose to attempt any thing, but that God had brought their counsel to nought. They knew they could not gain their point but by surprise, and, if their plot was known, it was quashed.
This site's exposition
behind the lowest sections of the wall
on Nehemiah 4:13-15
Nehemiah stations the people "by families with their swords, spears, and bows" in the low and exposed places. He answers their fear on the ground of his prayer. When the enemy learns the plan is known, the text credits God directly, "God had frustrated it," and the builders return.
This site's exposition
God had frustrated it
Matthew Henry notes that the plan depended wholly on surprise, and once it was known it was finished. The verse credits the failure to God. Each builder went back to his own work on the wall, the same section assigned in chapter 3.
The record, by era
The Medieval Church1 voice
And it came to pass, when our enemies heard that it had been made known to us, God had frustrated their plan, etc. And in the spiritual building, if we have always been clothed with apostolic arms, the plan of the devil and his angels, …
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
And it came to pass, when our enemies heard it was known unto us,.... What they intended, as might be reported to them from the preparations made by the Jews to receive them, and defend themselves: and God had brought their counsel to naught; which was to come upon them secretly and unawares; but being discovered, they dropped their design, and their scheme came to nothing: so that we returned all of us to the wall, every man to his work; to that part of it where he wrought, in order to finish it.
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
Nehemiah's vigilance anticipated every difficulty, his prudent measures defeated every obstruction, and with astonishing rapidity this Jerusalem was made again "a city fortified."
Their counsel to naught - The word counsel used here countenances the emendation in the 12th verse.
The words behind it
18 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיְהִ֞י | vayhi | and it was | H1961 → | 3559 times |
| כַּֽאֲשֶׁר־ | kaasher- | just when | H834 → | 5497 times |
| שָׁמְע֤וּ | shameu | they heard | H8085 → | 1159 times |
| אוֹיְבֵ֙ינוּ֙ | ʾoyveinu | enemies our | H341 → | 282 times |
| כִּי־ | ki- | that | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| נ֣וֹדַֽע | noda' | it was known | H3045 → | 945 times |
| לָ֔נוּ | lanu | to us | ||
| וַיָּ֥פֶר | vaiyafer | and he had frustrated | H6565 → | |
| הָאֱלֹהִ֖ים | haelohim | <the> God | H430 → | 2601 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| עֲצָתָ֑ם | ʾatzatam | purpose their | H6098 → | |
| וַנָּ֤שָׁב | vanashuv | and we returned | H7725 → | 1056 times |
| כֻּלָּ֙נוּ֙ | kulanu | all of us | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| אֶל־ | ʾel- | to | H413 → | 5510 times |
| הַ֣חוֹמָ֔ה | hachomah | the wall | H2346 → | 133 times |
| אִ֖ישׁ | ʾish | each one | H376 → | 1663 times |
| אֶל־ | ʾel- | to | H413 → | 5510 times |
| מְלַאכְתּֽוֹ׃ | melakhto | work his | H4399 → | 167 times |
וַיְהִ֞יand it was
vayhiH1961 →3559 times
כַּֽאֲשֶׁר־just when
kaasher-H834 →5497 times
שָׁמְע֤וּthey heard
shameuH8085 →1159 times
אוֹיְבֵ֙ינוּ֙enemies our
ʾoyveinuH341 →282 times
כִּי־that
ki-H3588 →4482 times
נ֣וֹדַֽעit was known
noda'H3045 →945 times
לָ֔נוּto us
lanu
וַיָּ֥פֶרand he had frustrated
vaiyaferH6565 →
הָאֱלֹהִ֖ים<the> God
haelohimH430 →2601 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
עֲצָתָ֑םpurpose their
ʾatzatamH6098 →
וַנָּ֤שָׁבand we returned
vanashuvH7725 →1056 times
כֻּלָּ֙נוּ֙all of us
kulanuH3605 →5413 times
אֶל־to
ʾel-H413 →5510 times
הַ֣חוֹמָ֔הthe wall
hachomahH2346 →133 times
אִ֖ישׁeach one
ʾishH376 →1663 times
אֶל־to
ʾel-H413 →5510 times
מְלַאכְתּֽוֹ׃work his
melakhtoH4399 →167 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Romans 12:11Do not let your zeal subside; keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord.
it leads to
- Hebrews 6:10–11
For God is not unjust. He will not forget your work and the love you have shown for His name as you have ministered to the saints and continue to do so.
- Acts 18:25
He had been instructed in the way of the Lord and was fervent in spirit. He spoke and taught accurately about Jesus, though he knew only the baptism of John.
- Revelation 3:15–16
I know your deeds; you are neither cold nor hot. How I wish you were one or the other!
- Proverbs 13:4
The slacker craves yet has nothing, but the soul of the diligent is fully satisfied.
- Colossians 3:22–24
Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything, not only to please them while they are watching, but with sincerity of heart and fear of the Lord.
- Hebrews 6:10–11
Through
Isaiah 44:25who foils the signs of false prophets and makes fools of diviners, who confounds the wise and turns their knowledge into nonsense,
it leads to
- Psalms 33:10
The LORD frustrates the plans of the nations; He thwarts the devices of the peoples.
- Job 5:12–14
He thwarts the schemes of the crafty, so that their hands find no success.
- 2 Samuel 15:31
Now someone told David: “Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom.” So David pleaded, “O LORD, please turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness!”
- Psalms 33:10
About Nehemiah
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Bede, Commentary on Ezra and Nehemiah; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.