seekeroftruth
Well-Known Member
Nehemiah 4:1 [a]When Sanballat heard that we were rebuilding the wall, he became angry and was greatly incensed. He ridiculed the Jews, 2 and in the presence of his associates and the army of Samaria, he said, “What are those feeble Jews doing? Will they restore their wall? Will they offer sacrifices? Will they finish in a day? Can they bring the stones back to life from those heaps of rubble—burned as they are?”
3 Tobiah the Ammonite, who was at his side, said, “What they are building—even a fox climbing up on it would break down their wall of stones!”
4 Hear us, our God, for we are despised. Turn their insults back on their own heads. Give them over as plunder in a land of captivity. 5 Do not cover up their guilt or blot out their sins from your sight, for they have thrown insults in the face of(b) the builders.
6 So we rebuilt the wall till all of it reached half its height, for the people worked with all their heart.
7 But when Sanballat, Tobiah, the Arabs, the Ammonites and the people of Ashdod heard that the repairs to Jerusalem’s walls had gone ahead and that the gaps were being closed, they were very angry. 8 They all plotted together to come and fight against Jerusalem and stir up trouble against it. 9 But we prayed to our God and posted a guard day and night to meet this threat.
10 Meanwhile, the people in Judah said, “The strength of the laborers is giving out, and there is so much rubble that we cannot rebuild the wall.”
11 Also our enemies said, “Before they know it or see us, we will be right there among them and will kill them and put an end to the work.”
12 Then the Jews who lived near them came and told us ten times over, “Wherever you turn, they will attack us.”
13 Therefore I stationed some of the people behind the lowest points of the wall at the exposed places, posting them by families, with their swords, spears and bows.14 After I looked things over, I stood up and said to the nobles, the officials and the rest of the people, “Don’t be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for your families, your sons and your daughters, your wives and your homes.”
15 When our enemies heard that we were aware of their plot and that God had frustrated it, we all returned to the wall, each to our own work.
16 From that day on, half of my men did the work, while the other half were equipped with spears, shields, bows and armor. The officers posted themselves behind all the people of Judah 17 who were building the wall. Those who carried materials did their work with one hand and held a weapon in the other, 18 and each of the builders wore his sword at his side as he worked. But the man who sounded the trumpet stayed with me.
19 Then I said to the nobles, the officials and the rest of the people, “The work is extensive and spread out, and we are widely separated from each other along the wall. 20 Wherever you hear the sound of the trumpet, join us there. Our God will fight for us!”
21 So we continued the work with half the men holding spears, from the first light of dawn till the stars came out. 22 At that time I also said to the people, “Have every man and his helper stay inside Jerusalem at night, so they can serve us as guards by night and as workers by day.” 23 Neither I nor my brothers nor my men nor the guards with me took off our clothes; each had his weapon, even when he went for water.[c]
a. Nehemiah 4:1 In Hebrew texts 4:1-6 is numbered 3:33-38, and 4:7-23 is numbered 4:1-17.
b. Nehemiah 4:5 Or have aroused your anger before
c. Nehemiah 4:23 The meaning of the Hebrew for this clause is uncertain.
These guys had to keep a weapon on them all the time.... I know what it means when it says "each had his weapon, even when he went for water". Saul "went for water" when David cut the hem of his robe.
So meanwhile... back at the wall.... those two hoodlums Sanballat and Tobiah are gaining speed..... now, according to verse 7 the "the Arabs, the Ammonites and the people of Ashdod" were angry as well. Listening to insults all day long is not fun. Reminds me of when Israel was facing off with Golliath at the bank. David had to knock him down with a stone.... now.... in Nehemiah's day.... they wore a weapon.... worked and worked one handed.
This is from the enduringword.com site.
And mocked the Jews: The nature of their discouraging attack is evident. They used a mocking, sarcastic tone and mocked the Jews… these feeble Jews… will they… will they… will they… even if a fox goes up on it, he will break down their stone wall.
Furious and very indignant, and mocked the Jews: Because Nehemiah and the workers did in fact have legal protection from the king (proven by the letters mentioned in Nehemiah 2:7), Sanballat and Tobiah had no authority to actually stop the work. All they could do was to discourage the Jews into stopping.
Hear, O our God: Nehemiah’s response was a great example. He didn’t debate, he didn’t form a committee, he didn’t even deal with the two enemies directly. Instead, he took it to God in prayer.
They have provoked You to anger: Finally, Nehemiah’s prayer gave God a reason to show mercy and to come against his enemies. Nehemiah recognized that this was God’s cause, not his own.
For the people had a mind to work: The immediate answer to the prayer made no difference in the enemies. The prayer was answered in the people of God doing the work. Nehemiah’s prayer asked God to take care of his enemies, and God answered by taking care of His people.
All of them conspired together to come and attack: As the work progressed the enemies became more serious. Now they didn’t simply complain or mock, they threatened and planned for violence.
We are not able to build the wall: So, the excavation work had to start. Before they could build the walls up, they had to tear down and clear away the rubbish. They had to go down before they could go up.
And our adversaries said: Verse ten may mark the lowest point in the spirits of those doing the work. Things were already in a bad state, and the discouraged workers felt like giving up. Now, the enemy planned its raid on the workers, to crush those rebuilding the walls.
They will neither know nor see anything: It is doubtful these enemies knew exactly how discouraged the people of God were. But certainly, the counsels of spiritual darkness in high places knew – and the attack was planned.
When our enemies heard that it was known to us, and that God had brought their plot to nothing: Once they saw the defenses of the people of God, the enemies shrunk back. They didn’t want a battle because they knew they would lose. What the enemies wanted was for the people of God to hand them the victory on a silver platter through failing to watch and be ready.
All of us returned to the wall, everyone to his work: This was the victory. Defending against the attack was not the victory; the people of God would not be at peace and security until the wall was rebuilt. Getting on with the work was the victory.
So neither I, my brethren, my servants, nor the men of the guard who followed me took off our clothes: They kept their clothes on all the time because they did not want to be caught unprepared. They were always ready to respond to the blast of a trumpet.
So far.... not one life has been lost to this construction project.... they are working with a weapon at their side.... but they are all alive....
Stay tuned..... Nehemiah's laborers have a good second wind.... they're putting in long long stressful hours.... with their weapon at their side.... and now they have to clear away the rubble before they can continue....
