When 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.
Parallel translations
- WEB When our enemies heard that it was known to us, and God had brought their counsel to nothing, all of us returned to the wall, everyone to 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.
- NKJV And it happened, when our enemies heard that it was known to us, and that God had brought their plot to nothing, that all of us returned to the wall, everyone to his work.
- NASB Now when our enemies heard that it was known to us, and that God had frustrated their plan, then all of us returned to the wall, each one to his work.
- NLT When our enemies heard that we knew of their plans and that God had frustrated them, we all returned to our work on the wall.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
When the enemies learn their plot is exposed, God brings their scheme to nothing, and the people return to building. God's intervention defuses the danger.
Overview
The discovery of the plot, attributed to God who "brought their counsel to nothing," frustrates the attack before it begins. Nehemiah credits the Lord, not merely the watchmen, for the deliverance. The verse illustrates how God overrules the plans of the wicked (Psalm 33:10-11), freeing His people to resume their God-given work.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 12
- Rom 12:11Do not let your zeal subside; keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord.
- 2 Sam 17:14Then Absalom and all the men of Israel said, “The advice of Hushai the Archite is better than that of Ahithophel.” For the LORD had purposed to thwart the good counsel of Ahithophel in order to bring disaster on Absalom.
- Isa 44:25who foils the signs of false prophets and makes fools of diviners, who confounds the wise and turns their knowledge into nonsense,
- Job 5:12–13He thwarts the schemes of the crafty, so that their hands find no success.
- Ps 33:10–11The LORD frustrates the plans of the nations; He thwarts the devices of the peoples.
- Lam 3:37–38Who has spoken and it came to pass, unless the Lord has ordained it?
- Prov 21:30There is no wisdom, no understanding, no counsel that can prevail against the LORD.
- 2 Sam 15:31Now someone told David: “Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom.” So David pleaded, “O LORD, please turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness!”
- Isa 8:10Devise a plan, but it will be thwarted; state a proposal, but it will not happen. For God is with us.”
- Mark 13:34It is like a man going on a journey who left his house, put each servant in charge of his own task, and instructed the doorkeeper to keep watch.
- 1 Th 4:11and to aspire to live quietly, to attend to your own matters, and to work with your own hands, as we instructed you.
- 1 Cor 3:19–20For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in God’s sight. As it is written: “He catches the wise in their craftiness.”
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
The rebuilt walls and renewed covenant community foreshadow the greater builder who gathers and secures a people for God, the one who declares 'I will build my church.'
How Nehemiah 4:15 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.