Neemias 4

Progress in Spite of Opposition

1 When Sanballat  * 4:1 Neh 2:10,19; 4:7 heard that we were rebuilding the wall,  * 4:1 Neh 2:17,19 he became furious. He mocked the Jews  * 4:1 Neh 2:192 before his colleagues and the powerful men  * 4:2 Or the army of Samaria  * 4:2 Ezr 4:9–10 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  * 4:2 2Ch 26:19 back to life from the mounds of rubble? "  * 4:2 2Ch 26:19; Neh 1:33 Then Tobiah the Ammonite,  * 4:3 Neh 2:10,19; 6:1,14 who was beside him, said, "Indeed, even if a fox  * 4:3 Lm 5:18 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 angered  * 4:5 Or provoked you in front of the builders.  * 4:4–5 Neh 6:14; Jr 18:23

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.  * 4:6 Neh 2:20; 6:1,15