New English Translation
Nehemiah 4:2
2and in the presence of his colleagues and the army of Samaria he said, “What are these feeble Jews doing? Will they be left to themselves? Will they again offer sacrifice? Will they finish this in a day? Can they bring these burnt stones to life again from piles of dust?”
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
1(3:33) Now when Sanballat heard that we were rebuilding the wall he became angry and was quite upset. He derided the Jews, and in the presence of his colleagues and the army of Samaria he said, “What are these feeble Jews doing? Will they be left to themselves? Will they again offer sacrifice? Will they finish this in a day? Can they bring these burnt stones to life again from piles of dust?” 3Then Tobiah the Ammonite, who was close by, said, “If even a fox were to climb up on what they are building, it would break down their wall of stones!” 4Hear, O our God, for we are despised! Return their reproach on their own head! Reduce them to plunder in a land of exile!
Read all of Nehemiah 4Nehemiah 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 commander, Shimshai the scribe, and the rest of their colleagues – the judges, the rulers, the officials, the secretaries, the Erechites, the Babylonians, the people of Susa (that is, the Elamites),
- 1 Samuel 14:11When they made themselves known to the Philistine garrison, the Philistines said, “Look! The Hebrews are coming out of the holes in which they hid themselves.”
- 1 Samuel 17:43The Philistine said to David, “Am I a dog, that you are coming after me with sticks?” Then the Philistine cursed David by his gods.
- Zechariah 12:8On that day the Lord himself will defend the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that the weakest among them will be like mighty David, and the dynasty of David will be like God, like the angel of the Lord before them.
- 1 Corinthians 1:27But God chose what the world thinks foolish to shame the wise, and God chose what the world thinks weak to shame the strong.
- Nehemiah 12:27At the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem, they sought out the Levites from all the places they lived to bring them to Jerusalem to celebrate the dedication joyfully with songs of thanksgiving and songs accompanied by cymbals, harps, and lyres.
- Nehemiah 4:10Then those in Judah said, “The strength of the laborers has failed! The debris is so great that we are unable to rebuild the wall.”
- Ezekiel 37:3He said to me, “Son of man, can these bones live?” I said to him, “Sovereign Lord, you know.”
- Habakkuk 3:2Lord, I have heard the report of what you did; I am awed, Lord, by what you accomplished. In our time repeat those deeds; in our time reveal them again. But when you cause turmoil, remember to show us 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
In the dictionaries
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
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