1 But it came to pass, that when Sanballat H5571 heard H8085 that we builded H1129 the wall, H2346 he was wroth, H2734 and took great H7235 indignation, H3707 and mocked H3932 the Jews. H3064
2 And he spake H559 before H6440 his brethren H251 and the army H2428 of Samaria, H8111 and said, H559 What do H6213 these feeble H537 Jews? H3064 will they fortify H5800 themselves? will they sacrifice? H2076 will they make an end H3615 in a day? H3117 will they revive H2421 the stones H68 out of the heaps H6194 of the rubbish H6083 which are burned? H8313
3 Now Tobiah H2900 the Ammonite H5984 was by him, H681 and he said, H559 Even that which they build, H1129 if a fox H7776 go up, H5927 he shall even break down H6555 their stone H68 wall. H2346
4 Hear, H8085 O our God; H430 for we are despised: H939 and turn H7725 their reproach H2781 upon their own head, H7218 and give H5414 them for a prey H961 in the land H776 of captivity: H7633
5 And cover H3680 not their iniquity, H5771 and let not their sin H2403 be blotted out H4229 from before H6440 thee: for they have provoked thee to anger H3707 before the builders. H1129
6 So built H1129 we the wall; H2346 and all the wall H2346 was joined together H7194 unto the half H2677 thereof: for the people H5971 had a mind H3820 to work. H6213
7 But it came to pass, that when Sanballat, H5571 and Tobiah, H2900 and the Arabians, H6163 and the Ammonites, H5984 and the Ashdodites, H796 heard H8085 that the walls H2346 of Jerusalem H3389 were made up, H724 H5927 and that the breaches H6555 began H2490 to be stopped, H5640 then they were very H3966 wroth, H2734
8 And conspired H7194 all of them together H3162 to come H935 and to fight H3898 against Jerusalem, H3389 and to hinder H6213 H8442 it.
9 Nevertheless we made our prayer H6419 unto our God, H430 and set H5975 a watch H4929 against them day H3119 and night, H3915 because H6440 of them.
10 And Judah H3063 said, H559 The strength H3581 of the bearers of burdens H5449 is decayed, H3782 and there is much H7235 rubbish; H6083 so that we are not able H3201 to build H1129 the wall. H2346
11 And our adversaries H6862 said, H559 They shall not know, H3045 neither see, H7200 till we come H935 in the midst H8432 among H8432 them, and slay H2026 them, and cause the work H4399 to cease. H7673
12 And it came to pass, that when the Jews H3064 which dwelt H3427 by them H681 came, H935 they said H559 unto us ten H6235 times, H6471 From all places H4725 whence ye shall return H7725 unto us they will be upon you.
13 Therefore set H5975 I in the lower H8482 places H4725 behind H310 the wall, H2346 and on the higher places, H6706 H6708 I even set H5975 the people H5971 after their families H4940 with their swords, H2719 their spears, H7420 and their bows. H7198
14 And I looked, H7200 and rose up, H6965 and said H559 unto the nobles, H2715 and to the rulers, H5461 and to the rest H3499 of the people, H5971 Be not ye afraid H3372 of them: H6440 remember H2142 the Lord, H136 which is great H1419 and terrible, H3372 and fight H3898 for your brethren, H251 your sons, H1121 and your daughters, H1323 your wives, H802 and your houses. H1004
15 And it came to pass, when our enemies H341 heard H8085 that it was known H3045 unto us, and God H430 had brought H6565 their counsel H6098 to nought, H6565 that we returned H7725 all of us to the wall, H2346 every one H376 unto his work. H4399
16 And it came to pass from that time H3117 forth, that the half H2677 of my servants H5288 wrought H6213 in the work, H4399 and the other half H2677 of them held H2388 both the spears, H7420 the shields, H4043 and the bows, H7198 and the habergeons; H8302 and the rulers H8269 were behind H310 all the house H1004 of Judah. H3063
17 They which builded H1129 on the wall, H2346 and they that bare H5375 burdens, H5447 with those that laded, H6006 every one with one H259 of his hands H3027 wrought H6213 in the work, H4399 and with the other H259 hand held H2388 a weapon. H7973
18 For the builders, H1129 every one H376 had his sword H2719 girded H631 by his side, H4975 and so builded. H1129 And he that sounded H8628 the trumpet H7782 was by me. H681
19 And I said H559 unto the nobles, H2715 and to the rulers, H5461 and to the rest H3499 of the people, H5971 The work H4399 is great H7235 and large, H7342 and we are separated H6504 upon the wall, H2346 one H376 far from H7350 another. H251
20 In what place H4725 therefore ye hear H8085 the sound H6963 of the trumpet, H7782 resort H6908 ye thither unto us: our God H430 shall fight H3898 for us.
21 So we laboured H6213 in the work: H4399 and half H2677 of them held H2388 the spears H7420 from the rising H5927 of the morning H7837 till the stars H3556 appeared. H3318
22 Likewise at the same time H6256 said H559 I unto the people, H5971 Let every one H376 with his servant H5288 lodge H3885 within H8432 Jerusalem, H3389 that in the night H3915 they may be a guard H4929 to us, and labour H4399 on the day. H3117
23 So neither I, nor my brethren, H251 nor my servants, H5288 nor the men H582 of the guard H4929 which followed H310 me, none of us H587 put off H6584 our clothes, H899 saving that every one H376 put them off H7973 for washing. H4325
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Nehemiah 4
Commentary on Nehemiah 4 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 4
Ne 4:1-6. While the Enemies Scoff, Nehemiah Prays to God, and Continues the Work.
1. when Sanballat heard that we builded the wall, he was wroth—The Samaritan faction showed their bitter animosity to the Jews on discovering the systematic design of refortifying Jerusalem. Their opposition was confined at first to scoffs and insults, in heaping which the governors made themselves conspicuous, and circulated all sorts of disparaging reflections that might increase the feelings of hatred and contempt for them in their own party. The weakness of the Jews in respect of wealth and numbers, the absurdity of their purpose apparently to reconstruct the walls and celebrate the feast of dedication in one day, the idea of raising the walls on their old foundations, as well as using the charred and mouldering debris of the ruins as the materials for the restored buildings, and the hope of such a parapet as they could raise being capable of serving as a fortress of defense—these all afforded fertile subjects of hostile ridicule.
3. if a fox go up—The foxes were mentioned because they were known to infest in great numbers the ruined and desolate places in the mount and city of Zion (La 5:18).
4, 5. Hear, O our God; for we are despised—The imprecations invoked here may seem harsh, cruel, and vindictive; but it must be remembered that Nehemiah and his friends regarded those Samaritan leaders as enemies to the cause of God and His people, and therefore as deserving to be visited with heavy judgments. The prayer, therefore, is to be considered as emanating from hearts in which neither hatred, revenge, nor any inferior passion, but a pious and patriotic zeal for the glory of God and the success of His cause, held the ascendant sway.
6. all the wall was joined together unto the half thereof—The whole circuit of the wall had been distributed in sections to various companies of the people, and was completed to the half of the intended height.
Ne 4:7-23. He Sets a Watch.
7-21. But … when Sanballat … heard that the walls … were made up, and … the breaches … stopped—The rapid progress of the fortifications, despite all their predictions to the contrary, goaded the Samaritans to frenzy. So they, dreading danger from the growing greatness of the Jews, formed a conspiracy to surprise them, demolish their works, and disperse or intimidate the builders. The plot being discovered, Nehemiah adopted the most energetic measures for ensuring the common safety, as well as the uninterrupted building of the walls. Hitherto the governor, for the sake of despatch, had set all his attendants and guards on the work—now half of them were withdrawn to be constantly in arms. The workmen labored with a trowel in one hand and a sword in the other; and as, in so large a circuit, they were far removed from each other, Nehemiah (who was night and day on the spot, and, by his pious exhortations and example, animated the minds of his people) kept a trumpeter by his side, so that, on any intelligence of a surprise being brought to him, an alarm might be immediately sounded, and assistance rendered to the most distant detachment of their brethren. By these vigilant precautions, the counsels of the enemy were defeated, and the work was carried on apace. God, when He has important public work to do, never fails to raise up instruments for accomplishing it, and in the person of Nehemiah, who, to great natural acuteness and energy added fervent piety and heroic devotion, He provided a leader, whose high qualities fitted him for the demands of the crisis. Nehemiah's vigilance anticipated every difficulty, his prudent measures defeated every obstruction, and with astonishing rapidity this Jerusalem was made again "a city fortified."