Nehemiah 4:12 (DRB)

Passage

And it came to pass, that when the Jews that dwelt by them came and told us ten times, out of all the places from whence they came to us,

Nearby Context

Nehemiah 4:10 And Juda said: The strength of the bearer of burdens is decayed, and the rubbish is very much, and we shall not be able to build the wall.

Nehemiah 4:11 And our enemies said: Let them not know, nor understand, till we come in the midst of them, and kill them, and cause the work to cease.

Nehemiah 4:12 And it came to pass, that when the Jews that dwelt by them came and told us ten times, out of all the places from whence they came to us,

Nehemiah 4:13 I set the people in the place behind the wall round about in order, with their swords, and spears, and bows.

Nehemiah 4:14 And I looked and rose up: and I said to the chief men and the magistrates, and to the rest of the common people: be not afraid of them. Remember the Lord who is great and terrible, and fight for your brethren, your sons, and your daughters, and your wives, and your houses.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "came", "pass", "jews", "dwelt", "told", "times", and "places". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "came" and "pass", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 11's "And our enemies said Let them not..." into verse 13's "I set the people in the place...", so "came" and "pass" belong inside that flow. In Nehemiah context, the local focus is covenant, worship, and faithfulness.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "came" and "pass" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.