The Work Ridiculed
Now when Sanballat heard that we were rebuilding the wall, he was furious and filled with indignation. He ridiculed the Jews Neh 2:10Heb 11:36Act 5:17Neh 2:19Psa 35:15-16Mat 27:29Ezr 4:1-5Psa 44:13-14 before his associates and the army of Samaria, saying, “What are these feeble Jews doing? Can they restore the wall by themselves? 1 Will they offer sacrifices? Will they complete it in a day? Can they bring these burnt stones back to life from the mounds of rubble?” 1Co 1:27Ezr 4:9-101Sa 17:43-44Ezk 37:3-13Neh 4:10Zec 12:81Sa 14:11-12Hab 3:2
Then Tobiah the Ammonite, who was beside him, said, “If even a fox were to climb up on what they are building, it would break down their wall of stones!” Neh 2:191Ki 20:101Ki 20:182Ki 18:23Neh 2:10Lam 5:18Neh 6:1
Hear us, O God, for we are despised. Turn their scorn back upon their own heads, and let them be taken as plunder to a land of captivity. Psa 79:12Psa 123:3-4Pro 3:34Hos 12:141Sa 17:26 Do not cover up their iniquity or let their sin be blotted out from Your sight, for they have provoked the builders. 2 Jer 18:23Psa 109:14Psa 69:27-282Ti 4:14Isa 44:22Isa 43:25Psa 51:1Psa 51:9
So we rebuilt the wall until all of it was joined together up to half its height, for the people had a mind to work. Php 2:131Ch 29:3Heb 13:21Neh 6:151Ch 29:141Ch 29:17-18Psa 110:32Ch 29:36
When Sanballat and Tobiah, together with the Arabs, Ammonites, and Ashdodites, heard that the repair to the walls of Jerusalem was progressing and that the gaps were being closed, they were furious, Neh 2:10Neh 4:1Act 4:17-18Act 5:33Amo 1:13Jer 25:20Rev 12:12-13Rev 12:17 and all of them conspired to come and fight against Jerusalem and create a hindrance. Psa 83:3-11Act 23:12-13Isa 8:9-10Jer 20:10Psa 2:1-3
Discouragement Overcome
So we prayed to our God and posted a guard against them day and night. 1Pe 5:8Act 4:24-30Psa 50:15Luk 21:36Luk 6:11-12Mat 26:412Ki 19:14-19Gen 32:28
Meanwhile, the people of Judah said: 3 2Ch 2:18Ezk 29:18Hag 1:2Num 13:31Num 32:9Psa 11:1-2
“The strength of the laborer fails,
and there is so much rubble
that we will never be able
to rebuild the wall.”
And our enemies said, “Before they know or see a thing, we will come into their midst, kill them, and put an end to the work.” 1Th 5:22Sa 17:2Act 23:12Act 23:21Isa 47:11Jdg 20:29-48Psa 56:6
At that time the Jews who lived nearby came and told us ten times over, “Wherever you turn, they will attack us.” Gen 31:41Gen 31:7Job 19:3Num 14:22
So I stationed men behind the lowest sections of the wall, at the vulnerable areas. I stationed them by families with their swords, spears, and bows. Eph 6:11-20Neh 4:17-181Co 14:202Ch 32:2-8Gen 32:13-20Mat 10:16Psa 112:5Sng 3:7-8
After I had made an inspection, I stood up and said to the nobles, the officials, 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 and your daughters, your wives and your homes.” 2Sa 10:12Num 14:9Isa 41:10-14Heb 13:6Psa 66:3Mat 10:28Psa 20:7Psa 65:5
When our enemies heard that we were aware of their scheme and that God had frustrated it, each of us returned to his own work on the wall. 2Sa 17:14Rom 12:11Isa 44:25Job 5:12-13Psa 33:10-112Sa 15:31Isa 8:10Lam 3:37-38 And from that day on, half of my servants did the work while the other half held spears, shields, bows, and armor. Neh 4:23Neh 5:15-16Psa 101:6
The officers stationed themselves behind all the people of Judah who were rebuilding the wall. The laborers who carried materials worked with one hand and held a weapon with the other. 2Co 6:72Ti 2:32Ti 4:71Co 16:131Co 16:9Eph 6:11-20Php 1:281Co 9:12 And each of the builders worked with his sword strapped at his side. But the trumpeter stayed beside me. Num 10:92Ch 13:12-17
Then I said to the nobles, the officials, and the rest of the people: “The work is great and extensive, and we are spread out far from one another along the wall. Wherever you hear the sound of the horn, rally to us there. Our God will fight for us!” Exo 14:14Deu 1:30Deu 20:4Deu 3:22Jos 23:10Zec 14:3Exo 14:25
So we continued the work, while half of the men held spears from the break of dawn until the stars came out. Gal 6:9Col 1:291Co 15:101Co 15:58 At that time I also said to the people, “Let every man and his servant spend the night inside Jerusalem, so that they can stand guard by night and work by day.” Neh 11:1-2
So neither I nor my brothers nor my servants nor the guards with me changed out of our clothes; each carried his weapon, even to go for water. 4 1Co 15:10Jdg 5:11Jdg 9:48Neh 5:16Neh 7:2