¹⁶ And ^(A)when all our enemies heard of it, all the nations around us were afraid and fell greatly in their own esteem, ^(B)for they perceived that this work had been accomplished with the help of our God.

^7 [a] But when ^(A)Sanballat and Tobiah and the Arabs and the Ammonites and the Ashdodites heard that the repairing of the walls of Jerusalem was going forward and that the breaches were beginning to be closed, they were very angry.

Opposition to the Work

4 ^[a] Now when ^(A)Sanballat heard that we were building the wall, he was angry and greatly enraged, and he jeered at the Jews.

¹⁰ But when ^(A)Sanballat the Horonite and ^(B)Tobiah the Ammonite servant heard this, it displeased them greatly that someone had come to seek the welfare of the people of Israel.

The New Generation Circumcised

5 As soon as all the kings of the Amorites who were beyond the Jordan to the west, and all the kings of the Canaanites ^(A)who were by the sea, ^(B)heard that the Lord had dried up the waters of the Jordan for the people of Israel until they had crossed over, their hearts ^(C)melted and ^(D)there was no longer any spirit in them because of the people of Israel.

³⁸ So in the present case I tell you, keep away from these men and let them alone, for ^(A)if this plan or this undertaking is of man, it will fail;

Conspiracy Against Nehemiah

6 Now when ^(A)Sanballat and Tobiah and ^(B)Geshem the Arab and the rest of our enemies heard that I had built the wall and that there was no breach left in it (^(C)although up to that time I had not set up the doors in the gates), ² Sanballat and Geshem sent to me, saying, “Come and let us meet together at Hakkephirim in the plain of ^(D)Ono.” But they intended to do me harm.