1 Ora, quando Sambalate ouviu que edificávamos o muro, ardeu em ira, indignou-se muito e escarneceu dos judeus;

2 e falou na presença de seus irmãos e do exército de Samária, dizendo: Que fazem estes fracos judeus? Fortificar-se-ão? Oferecerão sacrifícios? Acabarão a obra num só dia? Vivificarão dos montões de pó as pedras que foram queimadas?

3 Ora, estava ao lado dele Tobias, o amonita, que disse: Ainda que edifiquem, vindo uma raposa derrubará o seu muro de pedra.

1 And it came to pass that when Sanballat heard that we built the wall, he was angry and very indignant, and mocked the Jews.

2 And he spoke before his brethren and the army of Samaria, and said, What do these feeble Jews? shall they be permitted to go on? Will they offer sacrifices? Will they finish in a day? Will they revive the stones out of the heaps of rubbish, when they are burned?

3 And Tobijah the Ammonite was by him, and he said, Even that which they build, if a fox went up, it would break down their stone wall. -