Nehemiah 4:2

Nehemiah 4:2 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And 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?
• New International Version (NIV)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?”
• English Standard Version (ESV)And he said in the presence of his brothers and of the army of Samaria, "What are these feeble Jews doing? Will they restore it for themselves? Will they sacrifice? Will they finish up in a day? Will they revive the stones out of the heaps of rubbish, and burned ones at that?"
• New King James Version (NKJV)And he spoke before his brethren and the army of Samaria, and said, “What are these feeble Jews doing? Will they fortify themselves? Will they offer sacrifices? Will they complete it in a day? Will they revive the stones from the heaps of rubbish—stones that are burned?”

Context of Nehemiah 4:2

1When Sanballat heard that we were rebuilding the wall, he became furious. He mocked the Jews before his colleagues and the powerful men of Samaria and said, “What are these pathetic Jews doing? Can they restore it by themselves? Will they offer sacrifices? Will they ever finish it? Can they bring these burnt stones back to life from the mounds of rubble?” 3Then Tobiah the Ammonite, who was beside him, said, “Indeed, even if a fox climbed up what they are building, he would break down their stone wall!” 4Listen, our God, for we are despised. Make their insults return on their own heads and let them be taken as plunder to a land of captivity.

Nehemiah 4:2 word by word

וַיֹּ֣אמֶר׀ לִפְנֵ֣י אֶחָ֗יו וְחֵיל֙ שֹֽׁמְר֔וֹן וַיֹּ֕אמֶר מָ֛ה הַיְּהוּדִ֥ים הָאֲמֵלָלִ֖ים עֹשִׂ֑ים הֲיַעַזְב֨וּ לָהֶ֤ם הֲיִזְבָּ֙חוּ֙ הַיְכַלּ֣וּ בַיּ֔וֹם הַיְחַיּ֧וּ אֶת־הָאֲבָנִ֛ים מֵעֲרֵמ֥וֹת הֶעָפָ֖ר וְהֵ֥מָּה שְׂרוּפֽוֹת׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And he spakeאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• beforeפָּנֶהpânîym · faceH6440
• his brethrenאָח'âch · brother: compatriotH251
• and the armyחַ֫יִלchayil · armyH2428
• of Samariaשֹׁמְרוֹןshômerôn · SamariaH8111
• What doעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to make: doH6213
• these feebleאֲמֵלָל'ămêlâl · weakH537
• Jewsיְהוּדִיyehûdîy · JewH3064
• will they fortifyעָזַב‛âzab · to leave: releaseH5800
• themselves? will they sacrificeזָבַחzâbach · to sacrificeH2076
• will they make an endכָּלָהkâlâh · to end: finishH3615
• in a dayיוֹםyôm · dayH3117
• will they reviveחָיָהchâyâh · to liveH2421
• the stonesאֶ֫בֶן'eben · stoneH68
• out of the heapsעֲרֵמָה‛ârêm ‛ărêmâh · heapH6194
• of the rubbishעָפָר‛âphâr · dustH6083
• which are burnedשָׂרַףώâraph · to burnH8313

Cross-references for Nehemiah 4:2

• Ezra 4:9From Rehum the chief deputy, Shimshai the scribe, and the rest of their colleagues — the judges and magistrates from Tripolis, Persia, Erech, Babylon, Susa (that is, the people of Elam),
• 1 Samuel 14:11They let themselves be seen by the Philistine garrison, and the Philistines said, “Look, the Hebrews are coming out of the holes where they’ve been hiding!”
• 1 Samuel 17:43He said to David, “Am I a dog that you come against me with sticks?” Then he cursed David by his gods.
• Zechariah 12:8On that day the Lord will defend the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that on that day the one who is weakest among them will be like David on that day, and the house of David will be like God, like the angel of the Lord, before them.
• 1 Corinthians 1:27Instead, God has chosen what is foolish in the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen what is weak in the world to shame the strong.
• Nehemiah 12:27At the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem, they sent for the Levites wherever they lived and brought them to Jerusalem to celebrate the joyous dedication with thanksgiving and singing accompanied by cymbals, harps, and lyres.
• Nehemiah 4:10In Judah, it was said: The strength of the laborer fails, since there is so much rubble. We will never be able to rebuild the wall.
• Ezekiel 37:3Then he said to me, “Son of man, can these bones live?” I replied, “Lord God, only you know.”
• Habakkuk 3:2Lord, I have heard the report about you; Lord, I stand in awe of your deeds. Revive your work in these years; make it known in these years. In your wrath remember mercy!

Commentaries on Nehemiah 4:2

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 2The army of Samaria - As he was governor, he had the command of the army, and he wished to excite the soldiers to second his views against Nehemiah and his men. What do these feeble Jews? - We may remark here, in general, that the enemies of God's work endeavor by all means to discredit and destroy it, and those who are employed in it. They despise the workmen: What do these feeble Jews? They endeavor to turn all into ridicule: Will they fortify…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 2The Persians placed Samarian army officers in Jerusalem to maintain peace. feeble Jews: Sanballat's mockery had some truth. The Jews were not wealthy, powerful, or numerous. However, Sanballat did not understand the strength of the God the Jews served. Can they restore...Will they offer sacrifices?: Sanballat might have mocked the sudden increase in sacrifices at the temple as the Israelites dedicated their work to the Lord. burnt stones...mounds of…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-61. 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…Read the comment

Topics related to Nehemiah 4:2

• Armies
• Character
• Sarcasm

In the dictionaries

• Samaria
• Samaria, Samaritan
• Armour
• Sanballat
• Ammon; Ammonites
• Esdras, the First Book of
• Heap
• Revive; Reviving

Commentaries on Nehemiah 4

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings