Nehemiah 4:1-14
Holman Christian Standard Bible
Progress in Spite of Opposition
4 [a]When Sanballat(A) heard that we were rebuilding the wall,(B) he became furious. He mocked the Jews(C) 2 before his colleagues and the powerful men[b] of Samaria,(D) and said, “What are these pathetic Jews doing? Can they restore it by themselves? Will they offer sacrifices? Will they ever finish it? Can they bring these burnt stones(E) back to life from the mounds of rubble?”(F) 3 Then Tobiah the Ammonite,(G) who was beside him, said, “Indeed, even if a fox(H) climbed up what they are building, he would break down their stone wall!”
4 Listen, our God, for we are despised. Make their insults return on their own heads and let them be taken as plunder to a land of captivity. 5 Do not cover their guilt or let their sin be erased from Your sight, because they have provoked[c] the builders.(I)
6 So we rebuilt the wall until the entire wall was joined together up to half its height, for the people had the will to keep working.(J)
7 [d]When Sanballat, Tobiah, and the Arabs,(K) Ammonites, and Ashdodites heard that the repair to the walls of Jerusalem was progressing and that the gaps were being closed,(L) they became furious.(M) 8 They all plotted together to come and fight against Jerusalem and throw it into confusion. 9 So we prayed to our God and stationed a guard because of them day and night.
10 In Judah, it was said:[e]
The strength of the laborer fails,
since there is so much rubble.
We will never be able
to rebuild the wall.
11 And our enemies said, “They won’t know or see anything until we’re among them and can kill them and stop the work.” 12 When the Jews who lived nearby arrived, they said to us time and again,[f] “Everywhere you turn, they attack[g] us.” 13 So I stationed people behind the lowest sections of the wall, at the vulnerable areas. I stationed them by families with their swords, spears, and bows. 14 After I made an inspection, I stood up and said to the nobles, the officials, and the rest of the people,(N) “Don’t be afraid of them.(O) Remember the great and awe-inspiring Lord, and fight for your countrymen, your sons and daughters, your wives and homes.”(P)
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- Nehemiah 4:1 Neh 3:33 in Hb
- Nehemiah 4:2 Or the army
- Nehemiah 4:5 Or provoked [You] in front of
- Nehemiah 4:7 Neh 4:1 in Hb
- Nehemiah 4:10 Lit Judah said
- Nehemiah 4:12 Lit us 10 times
- Nehemiah 4:12 Or again from every place, “You must return to
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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