Nehemiah 4:1-14
Evangelical Heritage Version
Opposition and Threats to the Building[a]
4 When Sanballat heard that we were rebuilding the wall, it infuriated him, and he became very angry. He ridiculed the Jews 2 and said in front of his allies[b] and the army of Samaria, “What are those pathetic Jews doing? Will they restore[c] it by themselves? Will they sacrifice? Will they finish in one day? Will they refurbish the stones that came from the piles of rubble that have been burned?”
3 Tobiah the Ammonite was beside him. He said, “Whatever they are building, if even a fox climbed on it, it would break apart the wall made from their stones.”
4 Listen, O our God, because we are an object of contempt. Turn their ridicule back on their own heads. Hand them over as plunder in a land of captivity. 5 Do not cover over their guilt, and may their sin not be blotted out before you, because they have provoked your anger in the presence of the builders.[d]
6 So we built the wall, and the entire wall was completed, up to half its height, because the people were determined to do it.
7 Now when Sanballat, Tobiah, the Arabs, the Ammonites, and the people of Ashdod heard that the repair of Jerusalem’s walls had progressed and the breaches had begun to be filled, they were infuriated. 8 So all of them conspired to come to attack Jerusalem and to throw it into confusion. 9 However, we prayed to our God, and because of the enemies, we posted a guard over the builders day and night.
10 Then the people of Judah said, “The strength of those bearing the burden is failing. There is so much rubble. We will not be able to build the wall!”
11 Then our adversaries said, “They will not know about it or realize what we are doing, until we come among them and kill them and bring the work to a halt.”
12 When the Jews who lived near them came, they repeatedly told us, “No matter which way you turn, they will be upon us.”[e] 13 So I stationed people behind the wall at the lowest places, at its open spots. I stationed the people by clans with their swords, spears, and bows. 14 Then I looked and got up and said to the nobles, the officials, and the rest of the people, “Do not be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, who is great and fearsome. So fight for your brothers, your sons and your daughters, your wives, and your homes.”
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Nehemiah 4:1 Nehemiah 4:1-6 is 3:33-38 in the Hebrew Bible. Nehemiah 4:7-23 is 4:1-17 in the Hebrew Bible.
- Nehemiah 4:2 Literally brothers
- Nehemiah 4:2 Here the Hebrew word azav, which usually means abandon, seems to mean restore.
- Nehemiah 4:5 -5 Nehemiah frequently interjects prayers into the narration, often without introduction. These prayers are marked by extra indentation.
- Nehemiah 4:12 The Hebrew of the text is difficult. It seems to mean that Jews from the countryside were encouraging those in Jerusalem to abandon the city. By emending the text, some read from all around they will attack us.
Nehemiah 4:1-14
Lexham English Bible
Opposition Begins
4 [a] Now it happened when Sanballat heard that we were building the wall, he became angry and greatly provoked, and he mocked the Jews. 2 Then he said before his brothers and the army of Samaria, “What are the feeble Jews doing? Will they restore these things for themselves? Will they sacrifice? Will they finish it in a day? Will they revive the stones from the piles of rubble—even those burned up?”
3 Tobiah the Ammonite was beside him and said, “Their wall of stone that they are building would break down if a fox went on it!”
4 Hear, our God, for we are despised. Turn their scorn on their head and give them over to plunder in the land of captivity. 5 Do not cover their guilt, and do not let their sin be blotted out from before you. They have provoked the builders to anger.[b]
6 So we rebuilt the wall, and all of the wall was joined up to half its height. For the people had a heart to do it.
Opposition Stopped
7 Now when Sanballat, Tobiah, the Arabs, the Ammonites, and the Ashdodites heard that the restoration of the walls of Jerusalem were going forward and the gaps were being closed, they were very angry. 8 So all of them plotted together to come fight against Jerusalem and to make trouble for it. 9 So we prayed to our God and set up a guard against them day and night.
10 But Judah said, “The strength of the carriers is failing, and there is too much dirt, and we are not able to build at the wall.” 11 Then our enemies said, “They will not know nor see until we come upon them and will kill them and stop the work.” 12 When the Jews who lived beside them came, they said to us ten times, “From all of the places where they live, they will come up against us.” 13 I stationed the people behind the deepest part of the wall in the open places according to their families, with their swords, spears, and bows. 14 And I looked, got up, and said to the nobles, prefects, and the rest of the people, “Do not be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for your brothers, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your houses.”
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Nehemiah 4:1 Nehemiah 4:1–23 in the English Bible is 3:33–4:17 in the Hebrew Bible
- Nehemiah 4:5 Literally “provoked anger before the builders”
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