Discovery BoxNehemiah 6:9 
Context6:9 All of them were wanting 1 to scare us, supposing, “Their hands will grow slack from the work, and it won’t get done.”
So now, strengthen my hands! 2
Nehemiah 6:19
Context6:19 They were telling me about his good deeds and then taking back to him the things I said. 3 Tobiah, on the other hand, sent letters in order to scare 4 me.
1 tn The participle has a desiderative nuance here, describing the desire of the subject and not necessarily the actual outcome. See also v. 14.
2 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”).
3 tn Heb “my words.”
4 tn Or “to intimidate” (so NIV, NRSV, NLT).
