Nehemiah 6:8-9

6:8 I sent word back to him, “We are not engaged in these activities you are describing. ¹  All of this is a figment of your imagination.” ² 

6:9 All of them were wanting ³  to scare us, supposing, “Their hands will grow slack from the work, and it won’t get done.”

So now, strengthen my hands! ⁴ 

[6:8]  ¹ tn Heb “We are not according to these matters that you are saying.”

[6:8]  ² tn Heb “For from your heart you are inventing them.”

[6:9]  ³ tn The participle has a desiderative nuance here, describing the desire of the subject and not necessarily the actual outcome. See also v. 14.

[6:9]  ⁴ tn The statement “So now, strengthen my hands” is frequently understood as an implied prayer, but is taken differently by NAB (“But instead, I now redoubled my efforts”).