Nehemiah 4:12

12 Then the Jews who lived near them came and told us ten times over, “Wherever you turn, they will attack us.”

Nehemiah 4:12 in Other Translations

12 And it came to pass, that when the Jews which dwelt by them came, they said unto us ten times, From all places whence ye shall return unto us they will be upon you.

12 At that time the Jews who lived near them came from all directions and said to us ten times, "You must return to us."

12 The Jews who lived near the enemy came and told us again and again, “They will come from all directions and attack us!”

12 The Jews who were their neighbors kept reporting, "They have us surrounded; they're going to attack!" If we heard it once, we heard it ten times.

12 When the Jews who lived nearby arrived, they said to us time and again, "Everywhere you turn, [they] attack us."

Nehemiah 4:12 Meaning and Commentary

Ver. 12 And it came to pass, when the Jews that dwelt by them
Near Samaria, Arabia, and Ashdod, and had intelligence of their designs:

came, they said to us ten times;
that is, they came to them at Jerusalem, and often told them, as this phrase "ten times" signifies, (See Gill on Genesis 31:7),

from all places whence ye shall return unto us:
they will be upon you, come which way you will, so that ye are in the utmost danger: or "from all places"; where you are repairing and rebuilding:

return to us;
that ye may enjoy peace and prosperity with us under Sanballat and escape the wrath and fury you are now exposed to; or "from all places we come, that ye may return to us"; so De Dieu; these Jews, though they pretended to be friends, to their brethren, yet seemed to be in friendship with their enemies, and sought to discourage them, and weaken their minds, and cause them to cease building.

Nehemiah 4:12 In-Context

10 Meanwhile, the people in Judah said, “The strength of the laborers is giving out, and there is so much rubble that we cannot rebuild the wall.”

11 Also our enemies said, “Before they know it or see us, we will be right there among them and will kill them and put an end to the work.”

12 Then the Jews who lived near them came and told us ten times over, “Wherever you turn, they will attack us.”

13 Therefore I stationed some of the people behind the lowest points of the wall at the exposed places, posting them by families, with their swords, spears and bows.

14 After I looked things over, I stood up and said to the nobles, the officials and the rest of the people, “Don’t be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for your families, your sons and your daughters, your wives and your homes.”