Nehemiah 4:1-5

Opposition to the Rebuilding

1 When Sanballat heard that we were rebuilding the wall, he became angry and was greatly incensed. He ridiculed the Jews,

2 and in the presence of his associates and the army of Samaria, he said, “What are those feeble Jews doing? Will they restore their wall? Will they offer sacrifices? Will they finish in a day? Can they bring the stones back to life from those heaps of rubble—burned as they are?”

3 Tobiah the Ammonite, who was at his side, said, “What they are building—even a fox climbing up on it would break down their wall of stones!”

4 Hear us, our God, for we are despised. Turn their insults back on their own heads. Give them over as plunder in a land of captivity.

5 Do not cover up their guilt or blot out their sins from your sight, for they have thrown insults in the face of^[a] the builders.

Nehemiah 4:1-5 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO NEHEMIAH 4

This chapter relates, how the Jews, while building, were mocked by their enemies, to which no answer was returned but by prayer to God, and they went on notwithstanding in their work, Ne 4:1-6 and how that their enemies conspired against them, to hinder them by force of arms, Ne 4:7-12 to oppose which, both spiritual and temporal weapons were made use of, so that the work was still carried on, Ne 4:13-23.

Cross References

• 1. S Nehemiah 2:10
• 2. S Ezra 4:9-10
• 3. Psalms 79:1; Jeremiah 26:18
• 4. S Nehemiah 2:10
• 5. Job 13:12; Job 15:3
• 6. Psalms 44:13; Psalms 79:12; Psalms 123:3-4; Jeremiah 33:24
• 7. Isaiah 2:9; Lamentations 1:22
• 8. 2 Kings 14:27; Psalms 51:1; Psalms 69:27-28; Psalms 109:14; Jeremiah 18:23

Footnotes

• [a]. Or "have aroused your anger before"