1
When Sanballat heard that we were rebuilding the wall, he became angry and was greatly offended. He mocked the Jews
2
and said before his brothers and the army of Samaria, “What are these feeble Jews doing? Will they fortify themselves? Will they offer sacrifices? Will they finish in a day? Will they bring the stones back to life from the heaps of rubble, though they are burned?”
3
Then Tobiah the Ammonite, who was beside him, said, “Even if they build it up, if a fox were to jump on it, their stone wall would fall down.”
4
Hear, O our God, how we are despised. Turn their reproach back on their own heads, and give them over as plunder in a land of captivity.
5
Do not cover their guilt, and do not let their sin be blotted out from before You, for they have provoked You by their treatment of those who are building.
6
But we kept building the wall until it was half its height, and the gaps were joined together, because the whole people worked with all their heart.
7
When Sanballat and Tobiah, and the Arabs, the Ammonites, and the Ashdodites heard that the repairing of Jerusalem’s wall was progressing and that the breaches were beginning to be closed, they became very angry.
8
All of them conspired together to come and fight against Jerusalem and to cause confusion there.
9
But we prayed to our God, and set a guard against them day and night because of them.
10
Then the people of Judah said, “The strength of the laborers is failing, and there is much rubble. We are not able to rebuild the wall.”
11
But our enemies said, “They will not know or see anything until we are among them, and we will kill them and stop the work.”
12
When the Jews who lived near them came and warned us ten times, “They will come up against us from every place where they live,”
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I stationed the people by families, with swords, spears, and bows, at the lowest points of the space behind the wall, in the exposed places.
14
I looked over everything, then 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.”
15
When our enemies heard that their plan had become known to us and that God had brought it to nothing, all of us returned to the wall, each to his own work.
16
From that day on, half of my servants did the work, while the other half held spears, shields, bows, and wore coats of armor; and the leaders stood behind all the house of Judah
17
who were building on the wall. Those who carried burdens and those who loaded them worked with one hand, and with the other they held a weapon.
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Each of the builders worked with his sword strapped at his side, and beside me stood the trumpeter.
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Then I said to the nobles, the officials, and the rest of the people: “The work is great and extensive, and we are separated on the wall, one far from another.
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And if you hear the sound of the trumpet in any place, gather there to us. Our God will fight for us!”
21
So we carried on the work, while half of the men held spears from the break of dawn until the stars came out.
22
At that time also I gave orders to the people: “Let every man with his servant spend the night in Jerusalem, so that they may keep watch for us by night and do the work by day.”
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So neither I, nor my brothers, nor my servants, nor the guards who followed me, took off our clothes. Each man kept his weapon in his right hand.
🧱⚔️🙏 Summary of Nehemiah 4 – Building While on Guard: When the Work Was Opposed by Enemies
Nehemiah 4 describes the stage of rebuilding the wall of Jerusalem that began to face fierce opposition from Israel’s enemies. Sanballat, Tobiah, and their allies tried to stop God’s work through mockery, threats, and physical intimidation. But Nehemiah and the people were not afraid. They kept building while staying watchful, showing faith, strategy, and steadfastness. This chapter is a clear picture of spiritual warfare — when we do God’s work, opposition will surely come, but God is our protector.
📌 1. The Enemy Mocked and Insulted (verses 1–6)
➡️ Sanballat was very angry because the wall was being rebuilt, and he mocked in front of his brothers
➡️ Tobiah joined in laughing:
“If a fox were to climb on it, that wall would fall!”
➡️ Nehemiah did not answer back, but prayed, asking the Lord to deal with them
➡️ The people kept working with all their heart, and the wall reached half its height
🎯 Mockery does not stop those who know they are doing God’s work.
📌 2. The Threat of War to Frustrate the Work (verses 7–12)
➡️ As the building continued to advance, the enemies became more and more angry and united to attack Jerusalem
➡️ Nehemiah responded at once:
- Praying to the Lord,
- Setting guards day and night
➡️ Some people began to fear and grow weary — “the strength of the laborers is failing…”
➡️ The enemies spread terror so that the people would be afraid and stop working
🎯 Opposition is not only physical, but also psychological — making the people afraid and losing heart.
📌 3. A Strategy of Faith and Defense (verses 13–20)
➡️ Nehemiah placed armed people in open places, while saying:
“Do not be afraid of them! Remember the great and awesome Lord!”
➡️ The people worked while keeping watch:
- One hand held the work tool, one hand held the weapon
- There were builders armed, and trumpeters to give the signal for war
➡️ Nehemiah affirmed:
“Our God will fight for us.”
🎯 Building and watching are two sides of true service — work and prayer, faith and vigilance.
📌 4. Not Stopping Even Under Great Pressure (verses 21–23)
➡️ From morning until night, the people kept working
➡️ The workers even did not take off their clothes or weapons, even while sleeping
➡️ The whole chapter describes extraordinary perseverance and spiritual readiness
🎯 When the enemy does not stop attacking, God’s people must not stop watching and working.
📖 Main Teaching
- God’s work will surely face opposition, but the Lord is with His faithful people
- Do not answer mockery with emotion — answer with prayer and action
- Build while keeping watch: keep working, but remain spiritually and physically alert
- The enemy often uses fear and exhaustion to stop ministry
- Spiritual leadership requires wisdom, courage, and constant prayer
✨ Spiritual Meaning (New Testament)
“Be sober and watchful! Your adversary the devil goes around like a roaring lion…”
➡️ As with the people in Nehemiah’s day, we must keep building while keeping watch
“Put on the whole armor of God…”
➡️ Nehemiah 4 is a clear example of “spiritual warfare” in the Old Testament
“Submit yourselves to God, and resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”
➡️ Through prayer and watchfulness, the people resisted the enemy and kept on prevailing
“For the weapons of our warfare are not worldly…”
➡️ Nehemiah used prayer and faith as the main weapons
🕊️ “Hear, O our God, how we are despised!” – Nehemiah 4:4
🕊️ “Do not be afraid of them! Remember the great and awesome Lord!” – Nehemiah 4:14
🕊️ “Our God will fight for us.” – Nehemiah 4:20
🕊️ “With one hand they worked… and with the other hand held a weapon.” – Nehemiah 4:17
