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The NET Bible®

Nehemiah 4:9

So we prayed to our God and stationed a guard to protect against them both day and night.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Afflictions and Adversities;   Prayer;   Temptation;   Watchfulness;   Watchman;   Thompson Chain Reference - Co-Operation;   Nehemiah;   Unity-Strife;   Watch, a Guard;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Prayer, Answers to;   Samaria, Modern;   Watchmen;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Samaritans;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Ammon;   Prayer;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Watchfulness;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Sanballat;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Guard;   Nehemiah;   Prayer;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Guard;   Nehemiah;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Jerusalem;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Prayer;   Watch;  

Devotionals:

- Daily Light on the Daily Path - Devotion for December 12;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
So we prayed to our God and stationed a guard because of them day and night.
Hebrew Names Version
But we made our prayer to our God, and set a watch against them day and night, because of them.
King James Version
Nevertheless we made our prayer unto our God, and set a watch against them day and night, because of them.
English Standard Version
And we prayed to our God and set a guard as a protection against them day and night.
New Century Version
But we prayed to our God and appointed guards to watch for them day and night.
Amplified Bible
But we prayed to our God, and because of them we set up a guard against them day and night.
New American Standard Bible
But we prayed to our God, and because of them we set up a guard against them day and night.
World English Bible
But we made our prayer to our God, and set a watch against them day and night, because of them.
Geneva Bible (1587)
The we prayed vnto our God, & set watchmen by them, day and night, because of them.
Legacy Standard Bible
But we prayed to our God, and because of them we stood a guard against them day and night.
Berean Standard Bible
So we prayed to our God and posted a guard against them day and night.
Contemporary English Version
But we kept on praying to our God, and we also stationed guards day and night.
Complete Jewish Bible
When our enemies heard that the plot was known to us, and God had foiled their plans, we all returned to the wall, everyone to his work.
Darby Translation
Then we prayed to our God, and set a watch against them day and night, because of them.
Easy-to-Read Version
But we prayed to our God. And we put guards on the walls to watch day and night so that we could be ready to meet them.
George Lamsa Translation
Nevertheless we made our prayer to our God, that he may set watchmen over us day and night because of them.
Good News Translation
but we prayed to our God and kept men on guard against them day and night.
Lexham English Bible
So we prayed to our God and set up a guard against them day and night.
Literal Translation
But we made our prayer to our God, and set a watch against them day and night, because of them.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Neuertheles we made or praier vnto oure God, & set watchme vpo the wall daye & night ouer against them.
American Standard Version
But we made our prayer unto our God, and set a watch against them day and night, because of them.
Bible in Basic English
But we made our prayer to God, and had men on watch against them day and night because of them.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
Neuerthelesse, we made our prayer vnto our God, and set watchmen by them day and night, because of them.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
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.
King James Version (1611)
Neuertheles, we made our prayer vnto our God, and set a watch against them, day and night, because of them.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
So we prayed to our God and set watchmen against them day and night, because of them.
English Revised Version
But we made our prayer unto our God, and set a watch against them day and night, because of them.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And we preieden oure Lord God, and we settiden keperis on the wal bi dai and niyt ayens hem.
Update Bible Version
But we made our prayer to our God, and set a watch against them day and night, because of them.
Webster's Bible Translation
Nevertheless we made our prayer to our God, and set a watch against them day and night, because of them.
New King James Version
Nevertheless we made our prayer to our God, and because of them we set a watch against them day and night.
New Living Translation
But we prayed to our God and guarded the city day and night to protect ourselves.
New Life Bible
But we prayed to our God because of them. And we had men watching for them day and night.
New Revised Standard
So we prayed to our God, and set a guard as a protection against them day and night.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
howbeit we prayed unto our God, - and set a watch against them, day and night, because of them.
Douay-Rheims Bible
And we prayed to our God, and set watchmen upon the wall day and night against them.
Revised Standard Version
And we prayed to our God, and set a guard as a protection against them day and night.
Young's Literal Translation
And we pray unto our God, and appoint a watch against them, by day and by night, because of them.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
But we prayed to our God, and because of them we set up a guard against them day and night.

Contextual Overview

7 When Sanballat, Tobiah, the Arabs, the Ammonites, and the people of Ashdod heard that the restoration of the walls of Jerusalem had moved ahead and that the breaches had begun to be closed, they were very angry. 8 All of them conspired together to move with armed forces against Jerusalem and to create a disturbance in it. 9 So we prayed to our God and stationed a guard to protect against them both day and night. 10 Then those in Judah said, "The strength of the laborers has failed! The debris is so great that we are unable to rebuild the wall." 11 Our adversaries also boasted, "Before they are aware or anticipate anything, we will come in among them and kill them, and we will bring this work to a halt!" 12 So it happened that the Jews who were living near them came and warned us repeatedly about all the schemes they were plotting against us. 13 So I stationed people at the lower places behind the wall in the exposed places. I stationed the people by families, with their swords, spears, and bows. 14 When I had made an inspection, I stood up and said to the nobles, the officials, and the rest of the people, "Don't be afraid of them. Remember the great and awesome Lord, and fight on behalf of your brothers, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your families!" 15 It so happened that when our adversaries heard that we were aware of these matters, God frustrated their intentions. Then all of us returned to the wall, each to his own work.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Nevertheless: Nehemiah 4:11, Genesis 32:9-12, Genesis 32:28, 2 Kings 19:14-19, Psalms 50:15, Psalms 55:16-22, Luke 6:11, Luke 6:12, Acts 4:24-30

set a watch: Matthew 26:41, Luke 21:36, 1 Peter 5:8

Reciprocal: Ecclesiastes 9:10 - thy hand

Cross-References

Genesis 4:4
But Abel brought some of the firstborn of his flock—even the fattest of them. And the Lord was pleased with Abel and his offering,
Genesis 4:9
Then the Lord said to Cain, "Where is your brother Abel?" And he replied, "I don't know! Am I my brother's guardian?"
Genesis 4:11
So now, you are banished from the ground, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother's blood from your hand.
Genesis 4:13
Then Cain said to the Lord , "My punishment is too great to endure!
Genesis 4:14
Look! You are driving me off the land today, and I must hide from your presence. I will be a homeless wanderer on the earth; whoever finds me will kill me."
Genesis 37:32
Then they brought the special tunic to their father and said, "We found this. Determine now whether it is your son's tunic or not."
Psalms 9:12
For the one who takes revenge against murderers took notice of the oppressed; he did not overlook their cry for help
Proverbs 28:13
The one who covers his transgressions will not prosper, but whoever confesses them and forsakes them will find mercy.
John 8:44
You people are from your father the devil, and you want to do what your father desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not uphold the truth, because there is no truth in him. Whenever he lies, he speaks according to his own nature, because he is a liar and the father of lies.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Nevertheless, we made our prayer unto our God,.... Spread their case before him in prayer, entreating direction and help from him:

and set a watch against them day and night, because of them; to give notice of their approach, that they might prepare to defend themselves; though they prayed to God, and trusted in him for deliverance, they did not neglect the use of means.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

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.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

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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