# For they all wanted to make us afraid

Here "they" refers to Nehemiah's enemies, Sanballat, Tobiah, Geshem, and their followers. The word "us" refers to the Jews.

# They will drop their hands from doing the work

This is a descriptive phrase that means that they are stopping their work on the wall. Alternate translation: "The workers on the wall will stop doing the work" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit]])

# strengthen my hands

Here Nehemiah requests for God to strengthen him by asking him to strengthen his "hands." Alternate translation: "strengthen me" or "give me courage" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-synecdoche]])