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Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

Nehemiah 4:9

Verse Nehemiah 4:9. We made our prayer unto our God, and set a watch] The strongest confidence in the protection and favour of God does not preclude the use of all or any of the means of self-preservation and defence which his providence has put in our power. While God works in us to will and to do, we should proceed to willing, through the power he has given us to will; and we should proceed to action, through the power he has given us to act. We cannot will, but through God's power; we cannot act, but through God's strength. The power, and the use of it, are two distinct things. We may have the power to will, and not will; and we may have the power to do, and not act: therefore, says the apostle, seeing God has wrought in you these powers, see that YOU WORK OUT YOUR OWN salvation, with fear and trembling.

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See also Nehemiah 4:9 in other biblical comments:

  • Albert Barnes' Bible Commentary

    BECAUSE OF THEM - Or, “over against them,” i. e. opposite to the place where they were encamped, probably on the north side of the city....

  • Annotated Bible by A.C. Gaebelein

    CHAPTER 4 _ 1. The indignation and sneers of the enemies (Nehemiah 4:1)_ 2. Nehemiah's ejaculatory prayer (Nehemiah 4:4) 3. Conspiracy, and more prayer (Nehemiah 4:7) 4. Nehemiah's precautions and...

  • Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

    SAMARITAN ATTEMPT TO FRUSTRATE THE BUILDING OF THE WALLS. In Nehemiah 4:2 f. the text is very corrupt, though the general sense of the passage is fairly clear, viz. the Samaritans mock the efforts mad...

  • Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

    SET. WATCH. The result of the prayer....

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    _Nevertheless_ R.V. BUT. The simple copula in the original introduces the contrast between the plan of the enemy and the defensive measures adopted by the Jews. -Nevertheless" is too strong an adversa...

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    2. The Jews faced the menace of an attack. TEXT, NEHEMIAH 4:7-14 7 Now it came about when Sanballat, Tobiah, the Arabs, the Ammonites, and the Ashdodites heard that the repair of the walls of Jerus...

  • Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

    _AND CONSPIRED ALL OF THEM TOGETHER TO COME AND TO FIGHT AGAINST JERUSALEM, AND TO HINDER IT._ No JFB commentary on these verses....

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    THE MACHINATIONS OF THE ENEMIES OF THE JEWS 1. Sanballat] His irritation at Nehemiah's arrival (Nehemiah 2:10) was increased by the work accomplished by the latter....

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    WE MADE OUR PRAYER.. A WATCH] Nehemiah and his followers, whilst commending themselves in prayer to God, took every precaution within their power....

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    THE *JEWS BUILD JERUSALEM’S CITY WALL AGAIN NEHEMIAH _ROBERT BRYCE AND ROBERT BETTS_ CHAPTER 4 V1 Sanballat heard that we were building the wall again. So he became very angry. He laughed at the...

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    The enemies of the *Jews heard that their insults had not succeeded. The *Jews had not stopped the work, but, instead, they had worked very hard. And the wall had reached half of its final height. So...

  • Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

    BECAUSE OF THEM. — Rather, _over against them:_ opposite to each point of their encampment. The setting watch was accompanied by solemn and united prayer....

  • ETCBC data on Hebrew bible

    _[Nehemiah 4:3]_ וַ נִּתְפַּלֵּ֖ל אֶל ־אֱלֹהֵ֑ינוּ וַ...

  • Expositor's Bible Commentary (Nicoll)

    Nehemiah 2:19 ON GUARD Nehemiah 2:10; Nehemiah 2:19; Nehemiah 4:1 ALL his arrangements for rebuilding the walls of Jerusale

  • Frederick Brotherton Meyer's Commentary

    BRAVING RIDICULE AND TREACHERY Nehemiah 2:12; Nehemiah 4:1 _ Suspicion_, Nehemiah 2:12. Sanballat was probably a Moabite, a native of Horonaim; Tobiah had been a slave. There are many descendants of...

  • G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible

    As the work proceeded, the opposition of outsiders turned from derision to anger, but rose no higher at the moment than contempt. However, Nehemiah was conscious of the menace of this attitude, and li...

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    (9) Nevertheless we made our prayer unto our God, and set a watch against them day and night, because of them. (10) And Judah said, The strength of the bearers of burdens is decayed, and there is much...

  • John Brown Commentaries Selected Books of the Bible

    Overcoming the Opposition St. Teresa of Avila (d. A.D. 1582), founder of the Carmelites, was noted for an ironic sense of humor and a deft way of turning a phrase. One day, Teresa was about to go on...

  • John Darby's Synopsis

    THE FOLLOWING COMMENTARY COVERS CHAPTER S 2, 3, 4, 5, AND 6. The time in which Nehemiah laboured for the good of his people was not one of those brilliant phases which, if faith be there, awaken even...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    Nevertheless we made our prayer unto our God, and set a watch against them day and night, because of them. Ver. 9. _Nevertheless we made our prayer unto our God_] Who is the saints' sanctuary of safe...

  • Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    _We made our prayer unto God_ They committed themselves to the protection of God, whose servants they were, and whom they considered as being engaged for them. This was the way of good Nehemiah and hi...

  • KJV Original Language Details

    1 While the enemies scoffe, Nehemiah prayeth and continueth the worke. 7 Vnderstanding the wrath and secrets of the enemy, hee setteth a watch. 13 Hee armeth the labourers, 19 and giueth military p...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    Nevertheless, we made our prayer unto our God, and set a watch against them day and night because of them, to ward off any sudden attack....

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    Nehemiah's Precautions...

  • Leslie M. Grant's Commentary on the Bible

    DECISION IN THE FACE OF OPPOSITION (vv. 1-23) The diligent labor of the Jews drew out more bitter anger on the part of the enemy. Sanballat was furious and resorted to the moral weakness of mockery,...

  • Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible

    7-15 The hindering good work is what bad men aim at, and promise themselves success in; but good work is God's work, and it shall prosper. God has many ways of bringing to light, and so of bringing t...

  • Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary On The Bible

    No text from Poole on this verse....

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    Nehemiah 4:9 prayer H6419 (H8691) God H430 because H6440 set H5975 (H8686) watch H4929 day H3119 night...

  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

    SANBALLAT AND HIS ALLIES DETERMINE VIOLENCE AGAINST THE BUILDERS OF THE WALLS WITH THE AIM OF PREVENTING THEIR COMPLETION ONLY TO BE THWARTED BY NEHEMIAH'S PRECAUTIONS (NEHEMIAH 4:7). Their derision h...

  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

    CONTINUAL OPPOSITION TO THE BUILDING OF THE WALL AND PROBLEMS RELATED TO IT (NEHEMIAH 4:1 TO NEHEMIAH 6:14). Meanwhile the work did not go on unopposed. Powerful men were involved in seeking to ensure...

  • Summarized Bible Commentary

    CONTENTS: Opposition by ridicule, anger and discouragement. CHARACTERS: God, Nehemiah, Sanballat, Tobiah. CONCLUSION: God's people are often a despised people, loaded with contempt, but the reproach...

  • Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    Nehemiah 4:2. _He spake before his brethren;_ that is, before Tobias, &c. his brother governors, and other great officers whom he had convened for counsel against the Jews. Nehemiah 4:5. _Let not thei...

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _We made our prayer unto our God, and set a watch._ WATCH AND PRAY I. The duty of prayer. 1. Prayer implies trust. 2. It implies acknowledged weakness. 3. It realises Divine power. Hence in the C...

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _But it came to pass, that when Sanballat, and Tobtah, and the Arabians, and the Ammonites, and the Ashdodites, heard that the walls. .. conspired all of them together._ FOES OF THE FAITH It is well...

  • The children's great texts of the Bible by James Hastings

    HOW THEY BUILT THE WALLS We made our prayer unto our God, and set a watch against them day and night. Nehemiah 4:9. Every one with one of his hands wrought in the work, and with the other held his...

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    NEHEMIAH 4:1 Opposition Intensifies, but the People Continue Watchfully. While the building continues, Sanballat and his allies resort to direct action in order to stop it, but their plot is foiled....

  • The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary

    EXPLANATORY NOTES.] Nehemiah 4:1 are in the Hebrew v. 33–38 of chap. Nehemiah 3:1 NEHEMIAH 4:1. SANBALLAT] See on chap. Nehemiah 2:10. That

  • The Pulpit Commentaries

    EXPOSITION NEHEMIAH 4:7 IT CAME TO PASS, THAT WHEN SANBALLAT, AND TOBIAH, at Samaria, AND THE ARABIANS, AND THE AMMONITES, AND THE ASHDODITES, in their respective residences, HEARD THAT THE WALLS OF...

  • Through The Bible C2000 Serie by Chuck Smith

    Now it came to pass, when [this antagonist] Sanballat [and Tobiah] learned that they had started building the wall, they were very angry, and they began to mock the Jews (Nehemiah 4:1). And they gath...

  • Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

    1 Peter 5:8; 2 Kings 19:14; Acts 4:24; Genesis 32:28; Genesis 32:9;

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