Nehemiah 4:3
King James Version (1769)
Other translations
| Verse | KJV | BSB | ASV |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | Now Tobiah the Ammonite was by him, and he said, Even that which they build, if a fox go up, he shall even break down their stone wall. | Then Tobiah the Ammonite, who was beside him, said, “If even a fox were to climb up on what they are building, it would break down their wall of stones!” | Now Tobiah the Ammonite was by him, and he said, Even that which they are building, if a fox go up, he shall break down their stone wall. |
In context
Who is speaking and to whom, what is happening, when and where, and why it matters, each with its sources. Coming with the context cards.
Original Hebrew words
| English | Hebrew | Say it | Strong's | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| and Tobiah | וְטוֹבִיָּ֥ה | ve-toi-YAH | H2900I | Tobiahטוֹבִיָּ֫הוּ (to.viy.yah) A man of the Ammonites living at the time of Exile and Return, first mentioned at Neh.2.10; married to daughter_of_Shecaniah (H7935N); father of: Jehohanan (H3076O) § Tobiah = "Jehovah is good" 1) head of a family who returned from exile with Zerubbabel but who were unable to prove their connection with Israel 2) the Ammonite who with Sanballat opposed the rebuilding of Jerusalem 3) a Levite in the reign of Jehoshaphat 4) a chief of the returning exiles |
| the Ammonite | הָעַמֹּנִ֖י | ha-'a-mo-NI | H5984H | Meuniteעַמּוֹנִי (am.mo.ni) Someone descended from Meunit(?) of the Canaanites, first mentioned at 1Ch.4.41 Group of me.u.ni (מְעוּנִים "Meunite" H4586) § Ammonite, of Ammon "tribal" descendants of Ammon and inhabitants of Ammon |
| [was] beside him | אֶצְל֑וֹ | 'etz-LO | H0681 | besideאֵ֫צֶל (e.tsel) 1) beside, by, near, nearness, joining, proximity subst 2) (BDB) 2a) conjunction, proximity 2b) beside, in proximity, contiguous to, from beside |
| and he said | וַיֹּ֗אמֶר | vai-YO-mer | H0559 | to sayאָמַר (a.mar) 1) to say, speak, utter 1a) (Qal) to say, to answer, to say in one's heart, to think, to command, to promise, to intend 1b) (Niphal) to be told, to be said, to be called 1c) (Hithpael) to boast, to act proudly 1d) (Hiphil) to avow, to avouch Aramaic equivalent: a.mar (אֲמַר "to say" H0560) |
| also | גַּ֚ם | gam | H1571 | alsoגַּם (gam) 1) also, even, indeed, moreover, yea 1a) also, moreover (giving emphasis) 1b) neither, neither...nor (with negative) 1c) even (for stress) 1d) indeed, yea (introducing climax) 1e) also (of correspondence or retribution) 1f) but, yet, though (adversative) 1g) even, yea, yea though (with 'when' in hypothetical case) 2) (TWOT) again, alike |
| [that] which | אֲשֶׁר־ | 'a-SHER- | H0834A | whichאֲשֶׁר (a.sher) A: 1) (relative part.) 1a) which, who 1b) that which 2) (conj) 2a) that (in obj clause) 2b) when 2c) since 2d) as 2e) conditional if B: Beth+ 1) in (that) which 2) (adv) 2a) where 3) (conj) 3a) in that, inasmuch as 3b) on account of C: Mem+ 1) from (or than) that which 2) from (the place) where 3) from (the fact) that, since D: Kaph+ 1) (conj.), according as, as, when 1a) according to that which, according as, as 1b) with a causal force: in so far as, since 1c) with a temporal force: when |
| they | הֵ֣ם | hem | H1992 | theyאִנּוּן (in.nun) these, those, they Aramaic of hem.mah (הֵ֫מָּה "they(masc.)" H1992) |
| [are] building | בּוֹנִ֔ים | bo-NIM | H1129 | to buildבְּנָה (be.nah) 1) to build 1a) (P'al) to build 1b) (Ithp'il) to be built |
| if | אִם־ | 'im- | H0518A | ifאִם (im) : if/whether_or/though 1) if 1a) conditional clauses 1a1) of possible situations 1a2) of impossible situations 1b) oath contexts 1b1) no, not 1c) if...if, whether...or, whether...or...or 1d) when, whenever 1e) since 1f) interrogative particle 1g) but rather |
| it will go up | יַעֲלֶ֣ה | ya-'a-LEH | H5927G | to ascend: riseעָלָה (a.lah) : rise/go 1) to go up, ascend, climb 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to go up, ascend 1a2) to meet, visit, follow, depart, withdraw, retreat 1a3) to go up, come up (of animals) 1a4) to spring up, grow, shoot forth (of vegetation) 1a5) to go up, go up over, rise (of natural phenomenon) 1a6) to come up (before God) 1a7) to go up, go up over, extend (of boundary) 1a8) to excel, be superior to 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to be taken up, be brought up, be taken away 1b2) to take oneself away 1b3) to be exalted 1c) (Hiphil) 1c1) to bring up, cause to ascend or climb, cause to go up 1c2) to bring up, bring against, take away … |
| a fox | שׁוּעָ֔ל | shu-'AL | H7776 | foxשׁוּעָל (shu.al) 1) fox, a burrower 1a) fox 1b) perhaps also jackal |
| and it will break down | וּפָרַ֖ץ | u-fa-RATZ | H6555 | to break throughפָּרַץ (pa.rats) 1) to break through or down or over, burst, breach 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to break or burst out (from womb or enclosure) 1a2) to break through or down, make a breach in 1a3) to break into 1a4) to break open 1a5) to break up, break in pieces 1a6) to break out (violently) upon 1a7) to break over (limits), increase 1a8) to use violence 1a9) to burst open 1a10) to spread, distribute 1b) (Niphal) to be broken through 1c) (Pual) to be broken down 1d) (Hithpael) to break away |
| [the] wall of | חוֹמַ֥ת | cho-MAT | H2346G | wallחוֹמָה (cho.mah) wall |
| stones their | אַבְנֵיהֶֽם׃ פ | 'av-nei-HEM | H0068G | stoneאֶ֫בֶן (e.ven) : stone 1) stone (large or small) 1a) common stone (in natural state) 1b) stone, as material 1b1) of tablets 1b2) marble, hewn stones 1c) precious stones, stones of fire 1d) stones containing metal (ore), tool for work or weapon 1e) weight 1f) plummet (stones of destruction) also made of metal 1g) stonelike objects, eg hailstones, stony heart, ice 1h) sacred object, as memorial Samuel set up to mark where God helped Israel to defeat the Philistines 1i) (simile) 1i1) sinking in water, motionlessness 1i2) strength, firmness, solidity 1i3) commonness 1j) (metaph) 1j1) petrified with terror … |
Words and meanings from STEPBible data (Tyndale House, Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). The capitalized syllable is the stressed one.