Rashi
Jewish
1040–1105
“For they all for all the nations. fear us Heb. מְיָרְאִים. They fear us, and so they say, “Let their hands be slackened, etc.” and now, strengthen my hands to help me with the building of the wall.”
The interpretation timeline
Neh 6:9
How this passage has been read — the sources, oldest to newest.
From the early Church Fathers to now.
1 Jewish · 1 Reformed · 1 Catholic
Neh 6:9 · Douay-Rheims
“For all these men thought to frighten us, thinking that our hands would cease from the work, and that we would leave off. Wherefore I strengthened my hands the more:”
Scholastic
c. 1100 – 1500
1105
A.D.
666 years pass — nothing from this stretch is hosted yet
Post-Reformation
c. 1650 – 1900
1771
A.D.
John Gill
Reformed
1697–1771
“For they all made us afraid,.... Or you all, as Aben Ezra interprets it; or all the Heathen nations, as Jarchi; this was the design of all those scandalous reports, to intimidate them, and with this they pleased themselves, as follows: their hands shall be weakened from the work, that it be not done; this they hoped would be the effect of those reports sent to them: now, therefore, O God, strengthen my hands; and let them not have what they will, and hope for; according to Aben Ezra, these words are directed to Sanballat, that if he was a friend, as he pretended, that instead of weakening, he would strengthen his hands by a sincere reconciliation; so Vatablus; but they are an address to God, such short ejaculations being usual with Nehemiah.”
1849
A.D.
George Leo Haydock
Catholic
1774–1849
“I. Hebrew, “Now, O Lord, strengthen my hands; (Junius, &c.) or, “now strengthening my hands, (Calmet) I went, ” &c. Septuagint, &c., agree with the Vulgate. (Haydock)”
Modern · 1953 →
The in-app commentary runs from the Fathers to the early-modern record, then stops — that's where the public-domain sources end, not where the reading does. For the modern reading, follow the sources directly.