Nehemiah 4:1

Nehemiah 4:1 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)But it came to pass, that when Sanballat heard that we builded the wall, he was wroth, and took great indignation, and mocked the Jews.
• New International Version (NIV)When Sanballat heard that we were rebuilding the wall, he became angry and was greatly incensed. He ridiculed the Jews,
• English Standard Version (ESV)Now when Sanballat heard that we were building the wall, he was angry and greatly enraged, and he jeered at the Jews.
• New King James Version (NKJV)But it so happened, when Sanballat heard that we were rebuilding the wall, that he was furious and very indignant, and mocked the Jews.

Context of Nehemiah 4:1

Sanballat heard that we were building the wall. He was very angry and upset. He laughed at the Jews. 2His officers and Samaria's army were with him. He said to them, ‘Those Jews have great ideas, but they are weak. How will they ever repair the wall? Will they give sacrifices to their God? Will that help them to repair the wall in one day? They will never build anything from this heap of stones that fire has destroyed!’ 3Tobiah the Ammonite was with him. Tobiah said, ‘The wall that the Jews are trying to build is very weak. Even if a little fox climbs up on it, the stones would all fall down again!’

Nehemiah 4:1 word by word

וַיְהִ֞י כַּאֲשֶׁ֧ר שָׁמַ֣ע סַנְבַלַּ֗ט כִּֽי־אֲנַ֤חְנוּ בוֹנִים֙ אֶת־הַ֣חוֹמָ֔ה וַיִּ֣חַר ל֔וֹ וַיִּכְעַ֖ס הַרְבֵּ֑ה וַיַּלְעֵ֖ג עַל־הַיְּהוּדִֽים׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• But it came to pass, that when Sanballatסַנְבַלַּטsanballaţ · SanballatH5571
• heardשָׁמַעshâma‛ · to hear: hearH8085
• that we buildedבָּנָהbânâh · to buildH1129
• the wallחוֹמָהchômâh · wallH2346
• he was wrothחָרָהchârâh · to be incensedH2734
• and took greatרָבָהrâbâh · to multiplyH7235
• indignationכָּעַסka‛as · to provokeH3707
• and mockedלָעַגlâ‛ag · to mockH3932
• the Jewsיְהוּדִיyehûdîy · JewH3064

Cross-references for Nehemiah 4:1

• Nehemiah 2:10But two important men were not happy when they heard that I had come to help the Israelite people. They were Sanballat, who came from Horon, and Tobiah, an Ammonite officer.
• Ezra 4:1The Israelites who had returned to Jerusalem from exile were building the temple for the Lord, Israel's God. The enemies of the people of Judah and Benjamin heard that the Israelites had begun to build.
• Acts 5:17People liked the apostles very much. So the most important priest and his friends who belonged to the Sadducees' group were very jealous.
• Psalms 35:15But when I had troubles myself, they were happy. They stood together and they laughed at me. Even strangers attacked me and they would not stop.
• Psalms 44:13The people who live in countries near us do not respect us. They laugh at us and they insult us.
• Matthew 27:29They used some branches with thorns to make a crown for him. Then they put it on his head. They put a long stick in his right hand. They went down on their knees in front of him. They laughed at him and they said, ‘Hello, King of the Jews, you are great!’
• Hebrews 11:36Other people who trusted God received insults. Some of them were hit with whips. Enemies of God tied these people up and they put them in prison.

Commentaries on Nehemiah 4:1

• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 1Opposition of Sanballat and others. (1-6) The designs of the adversaries. (7-15) Nehemiah's precautions. (16-23) Verses 1-6 Many a good work has been looked upon with contempt by proud and haughty scorners. Those who disagree in almost every thing, will unite in persecution. Nehemiah did not answer these fools according to their folly, but looked up to God by prayer. God's people have often been a despised people, but he hears all the slights that are put…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 4:1

• Scoffing

In the dictionaries

• Armour
• Moabite
• Sanballat
• Ammon; Ammonites
• Dispersion, the
• Esdras, the First Book of
• Mock; Mocker; Mocking
• Take

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