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
Now when the adversaries H6862 of Judah H3063 and Benjamin H1144 heard H8085 that the children H1121 of the captivity H1473 builded H1129 the temple H1964 unto the LORD H3068 God H430 of Israel; H3478 Then they came H5066 to Zerubbabel, H2216 and to the chief H7218 of the fathers, H1 and said H559 unto them, Let us build H1129 with you: for we seek H1875 your God, H430 as ye do; and we do sacrifice H2076 unto him since the days H3117 of Esarhaddon H634 king H4428 of Assur, H804 which brought us up hither. H5927 But Zerubbabel, H2216 and Jeshua, H3442 and the rest H7605 of the chief H7218 of the fathers H1 of Israel, H3478 said H559 unto them, Ye have nothing to do with us to build H1129 an house H1004 unto our God; H430 but we ourselves together H3162 will build H1129 unto the LORD H3068 God H430 of Israel, H3478 as king H4428 Cyrus H3566 the king H4428 of Persia H6539 hath commanded H6680 us. Then the people H5971 of the land H776 weakened H7503 the hands H3027 of the people H5971 of Judah, H3063 and troubled H926 H1089 them in building, H1129 And hired H7936 counsellors H3289 against them, to frustrate H6565 their purpose, H6098 all the days H3117 of Cyrus H3566 king H4428 of Persia, H6539 even until the reign H4438 of Darius H1867 king H4428 of Persia. H6539
But in mine adversity H6761 they rejoiced, H8055 and gathered themselves together: H622 yea, the abjects H5222 gathered themselves together H622 against me, and I knew H3045 it not; they did tear H7167 me, and ceased H1826 not: With hypocritical H2611 mockers H3934 in feasts, H4580 they gnashed H2786 upon me with their teeth. H8127
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."