Nehemiah 4:1-6 Meaning: When Mockers Attack, Keep Building
1But when Sanballat heard that we were building the wall, he was angry, and was very indignant, and mocked the Jews.
2He spoke before his brothers and the army of Samaria, and said, “What are these feeble Jews doing? Will they fortify themselves? Will they sacrifice? Will they finish in a day? Will they revive the stones out of the heaps of rubbish, since they are burned?”
3Now Tobiah the Ammonite was by him, and he said, “What they are building, if a fox climbed up it, he would break down their stone wall.”
4“Hear, our God, for we are despised. Turn back their reproach on their own head. Give them up for a plunder in a land of captivity.
5Don’t cover their iniquity. Don’t let their sin be blotted out from before you; for they have insulted the builders.”
6So we built the wall; and all the wall was joined together to half its height, for the people had a mind to work.
1But it came to pass, that when Sanballat heard that we builded the wall, he was wroth, and took great indignation, and mocked the Jews.
2And he spake before his brethren and the army of Samaria, and said, What do these feeble Jews? will they fortify themselves? will they sacrifice? will they make an end in a day? will they revive the stones out of the heaps of the rubbish which are burned?
3Now Tobiah the Ammonite was by him, and he said, Even that which they build, if a fox go up, he shall even break down their stone wall.
4Hear, O our God; for we are despised: and turn their reproach upon their own head, and give them for a prey in the land of captivity:
5And cover not their iniquity, and let not their sin be blotted out from before thee: for they have provoked thee to anger before the builders.
6So built we the wall; and all the wall was joined together unto the half thereof: for the people had a mind to work.
1But it came to pass that, when Sanballat heard that we were building the wall, he was wroth, and took great indignation, and mocked the Jews.
2And he spake before his brethren and the army of Samaria, and said, What are these feeble Jews doing? will they fortify themselves? will they sacrifice? will they make an end in a day? will they revive the stones out of the heaps of rubbish, seeing they are burned?
3Now Tobiah the Ammonite was by him, and he said, Even that which they are building, if a fox go up, he shall break down their stone wall.
4Hear, O our God; for we are despised: and turn back their reproach upon their own head, and give them up for a spoil in a land of captivity;
5and cover not their iniquity, and let not their sin be blotted out from before thee; for they have provoked thee to anger before the builders.
6So we built the wall; and all the wall was joined together unto half the height thereof: for the people had a mind to work.
1And it cometh to pass, when Sanballat hath heard that we are building the wall, that it is displeasing to him, and he is very angry and mocketh at the Jews,
2and saith before his brethren and the force of Samaria, yea, he saith, `What are the weak Jews doing? are they left to themselves? do they sacrifice? do they complete in a day? do they revive the stones out of the heaps of the rubbish? --and they burnt!'
3And Tobiah the Ammonite is by him and saith, `Also, that which they are building--if a fox doth go up, then it hath broken down their stone wall.'
4Hear, O our God, for we have been despised; and turn back their reproach on their own head, and give them for a spoil in a land of captivity;
5and do not cover over their iniquity, and their sin from before Thee let not be blotted out, for they have provoked to anger--over-against those building.
6And we build the wall, and all the wall is joined--unto its half, and the people have a heart to work.
1And it came to pass that when Sanballat heard that we built the wall, he was angry and very indignant, and mocked the Jews.
2And 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?
3And 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. —
4Hear, our God, for we are despised, and turn their reproach upon their own head, and give them for a prey in a land of captivity!
5And cover not their iniquity, and let not their sin be blotted out from before thee; for they have provoked the builders.
6But we built the wall; and all the wall was joined together to the half thereof; for the people had a mind to work.
Meaning in one sentence
When Sanballat mocks the rebuilding of Jerusalem, Nehemiah prays and the people keep working. How to handle opposition to God's work.
Context
Nehemiah is leading the effort to rebuild Jerusalem's walls after the exile. The work has barely begun when Sanballat, a Samaritan governor, hears what they are doing. He is furious and starts to mock the Jews openly, questioning their strength and the quality of their materials. Tobiah, standing beside him, joins in with a cutting insult about a fox breaking down their stone wall. Nehemiah does not answer them directly. Instead he turns to God in prayer, asking Him to hear and to act. Then, simply, the people keep building. They complete the wall to half its height all around the city, because they had a heart to work. The chapter shows how opposition often comes right when God's people take a bold step forward.
Key Words
The phrase 'had a mind to work' is richer in the original language. Commentators point out that the Hebrew word for 'mind' is leb, the heart, the center of will and desire, not just the intellect. The people did not have a plan or a schedule; they had a heart to work. That inner engagement made the difference. The word translated 'feeble' in verse 2 carries the sense of weakness and helplessness, exactly what the enemies wanted the Jews to believe about themselves. But Nehemiah refuses to own that label. He takes it to God. And the people's heart, not the circumstances, determines what they accomplish. That is the kind of inward resolve God's work needs: not perfect conditions, but a heart set on building.
How Christians Read This Verse
Christians across traditions have read Nehemiah's prayer with some caution. Adam Clarke, a Wesleyan commentator, says such imprecations are not lawful for Christians in light of Jesus's command to love enemies. Other Reformed commentators like Gill argue Nehemiah was praying not from personal revenge but from zeal for God's glory. The prayer remains in the text as an honest cry for justice. Many readers find in it a pattern of taking our pain to God, while also recognizing that the New Testament calls us to a different response toward those who oppose us. Both approaches seek to honor God in their context.
A common misunderstanding
Some readers think Nehemiah's prayer in verses 4-5 is a model for how we should pray against our personal enemies today. In fact, Nehemiah is praying as a leader of God's covenant people facing opposition to God's work. Jesus later teaches us to pray for our enemies and bless those who curse us. While we can honestly tell God how we feel, the New Testament reorients our attitude toward those who oppose us.
Living This Out
This week you may face someone who dismisses what you are trying to do for God, a family member who thinks your faith is naive, a coworker who belittles your integrity. Notice what Nehemiah does not do. He does not argue with the mockers. He does not stop working. He goes to God first. After he prays, he keeps building. You can do the same. Tell God exactly how the mockery feels. Then pick up your tools, whatever your work or service is, and keep going with your whole heart.
Main takeaway: When opposition comes, we can pray honestly to God and keep working, because He gives His people a heart to build.
For Families
For ages 5, 8
Some people laughed at Nehemiah for building the wall. But he prayed and kept working. God helped him and his friends finish the job.
For ages 9, 12
When you try to do something good for God, not everyone will be happy. Some people might make fun of you. Nehemiah shows us what to do: talk to God about it, then keep going. God gave the builders a strong heart, and He will give you one too.
Questions People Ask
Why did Sanballat oppose the rebuilding of Jerusalem's wall?
Sanballat was the governor of Samaria, and he saw a fortified Jerusalem as a threat to his own influence and power. The return of Jewish strength under Nehemiah challenged the political and religious status quo that favored Samaria. His mockery was an attempt to discourage the workers and discredit the project before it gained momentum.
What does the reference to a fox in Nehemiah 4:3 mean?
Tobiah says that even a fox climbing on the wall would break it down. This is a sarcastic insult meant to say the wall is so weak and poorly built that the lightest animal could destroy it. Foxes or jackals were common in ruined areas, so the jab carried a visual punch: your wall is no stronger than the rubble it came from.
Is Nehemiah's prayer in verses 4-5 too harsh for Christians today?
Many Christians struggle with imprecatory prayers like this. Nehemiah was praying for God's justice against those who opposed God's work in a specific covenant context. Jesus taught us to pray for our enemies. While we can bring our honest anger to God, the New Testament calls us to leave vengeance to God and to bless those who persecute us.
What does 'had a mind to work' mean in Hebrew?
The Hebrew phrase is 'vayehi leb leam laasoth', 'and the people had a heart to work.' The word 'leb' (heart) refers to the inner person, the seat of will, desire, and devotion. It was not that they had a plan or a schedule; their hearts were fully engaged. That inner motivation made the work possible despite the opposition.
Why does verse 6 say the wall reached only half its height?
The wall was built to half its intended height all around the city. This shows significant progress but also that the work was not finished. The phrase highlights that despite mockery and threats, the people made substantial headway because they were unified and determined. It set the stage for even stronger opposition in the following verses.
For pastors & researchers
Hebrew interlinear, 8 commentaries & word study