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

1Now it came about that when Sanballat heard that we were rebuilding the wall, he became furious and very angry and mocked the Jews. He spoke in the presence of his brothers and the wealthy men of Samaria and said, “What are these feeble Jews doing? Are they going to restore it for themselves? Can they offer sacrifices? Can they finish in a day? Can they revive the stones from the dusty rubble even the burned ones?” 3Now Tobiah the Ammonite was near him and he said, “Even what they are building--if a fox should jump on it, he would break their stone wall down!” 4Hear, O our God, how we are despised! Return their reproach on their own heads and give them up for plunder in 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

• He spokeאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• in the presenceפָּנֶהpânîym · faceH6440
• of his brothersאָח'âch · brother: compatriotH251
• wealthyחַ֫יִלchayil · armyH2428
• of Samariaשֹׁמְרוֹןshômerôn · SamariaH8111
• Whatמָהmâh mah mâ ma meh · what?H4100
• are these feebleאֲמֵלָל'ămêlâl · weakH537
• Jewsיְהוּדִיyehûdîy · JewH3064
• doingעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to make: doH6213
• Are they going to restoreעָזַב‛âzab · to leave: releaseH5800
• for themselves? Can they offerזָבַחzâbach · to sacrificeH2076
• Can they finishכָּלָהkâlâh · to end: finishH3615
• in a dayיוֹםyôm · dayH3117
• the stonesאֶ֫בֶן'eben · stoneH68
• dustyעָפָר‛âphâr · dustH6083
• rubbleעֲרֵמָה‛ârêm ‛ărêmâh · heapH6194
• even the burnedשָׂרַףώâraph · to burnH8313

Cross-references for Nehemiah 4:2

• Ezra 4:9then wrote Rehum the commander and Shimshai the scribe and the rest of their colleagues, the judges and the lesser governors, the officials, the secretaries, the men of Erech, the Babylonians, the men of Susa, that is, the Elamites,
• 1 Samuel 14:11When both of them revealed themselves to the garrison of the Philistines, the Philistines said, “Behold, Hebrews are coming out of the holes where they have hidden themselves.”
• 1 Samuel 17:43The Philistine said to David, “Am I a dog, that you come to me with sticks?” And the Philistine cursed David by his gods.
• Zechariah 12:8In that day the Lord will defend the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and the one who is feeble among them in that day will be like David, and the house of David will be like God, like the angel of the Lord before them.
• 1 Corinthians 1:27but God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong,
• Nehemiah 12:27Now at the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem they sought out the Levites from all their places, to bring them to Jerusalem so that they might celebrate the dedication with gladness, with hymns of thanksgiving and with songs to the accompaniment of cymbals, harps and lyres.
• Nehemiah 4:10Thus in Judah it was said, “The strength of the burden bearers is failing, Yet there is much rubbish; And we ourselves are unable To rebuild the wall.”
• Ezekiel 37:3He said to me, “Son of man, can these bones live?” And I answered, “O Lord God, You know.”
• Habakkuk 3:2Lord, I have heard the report about You and I fear. O Lord, revive Your work in the midst of the years, In the midst of the years make it known; In 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
• 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