Nehemiah 2:19

Nehemiah 2:19 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)But when Sanballat the Horonite, and Tobiah the servant, the Ammonite, and Geshem the Arabian, heard it, they laughed us to scorn, and despised us, and said, What is this thing that ye do? will ye rebel against the king?
• New International Version (NIV)But when Sanballat the Horonite, Tobiah the Ammonite official and Geshem the Arab heard about it, they mocked and ridiculed us. “What is this you are doing?” they asked. “Are you rebelling against the king?”
• English Standard Version (ESV)But when Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite servant and Geshem the Arab heard of it, they jeered at us and despised us and said, "What is this thing that you are doing? Are you rebelling against the king?"
• New King James Version (NKJV)But when Sanballat the Horonite, Tobiah the Ammonite official, and Geshem the Arab heard of it, they laughed at us and despised us, and said, “What is this thing that you are doing? Will you rebel against the king?”

Context of Nehemiah 2:19

17But now I said to them, “You know very well what trouble we are in. Jerusalem lies in ruins, and its gates have been destroyed by fire. Let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem and end this disgrace!” 18Then I told them about how the gracious hand of God had been on me, and about my conversation with the king. They replied at once, “Yes, let’s rebuild the wall!” So they began the good work. But when Sanballat, Tobiah, and Geshem the Arab heard of our plan, they scoffed contemptuously. “What are you doing? Are you rebelling against the king?” they asked. 20I replied, “The God of heaven will help us succeed. We, his servants, will start rebuilding this wall. But you have no share, legal right, or historic claim in Jerusalem.”

Nehemiah 2:19 word by word

וַיִּשְׁמַע֩ סַנְבַלַּ֨ט הַחֹרֹנִ֜י וְטֹבִיָּ֣ה׀ הָעֶ֣בֶד הָֽעַמּוֹנִ֗י וְגֶ֙שֶׁם֙ הָֽעַרְבִ֔י וַיַּלְעִ֣גוּ לָ֔נוּ וַיִּבְז֖וּ עָלֵ֑ינוּ וַיֹּאמְר֗וּ מָֽה־הַדָּבָ֤ר הַזֶּה֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר אַתֶּ֣ם עֹשִׂ֔ים הַעַ֥ל הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ אַתֶּ֥ם מֹרְדִֽים׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• But when Sanballatסַנְבַלַּטsanballaţ · SanballatH5571
• the Horoniteחֹרֹנִיchôrônîy · HoroniteH2772
• and Tobiahטוֹבִיָּ֫הוּţôbîyâh ţôbîyâhû · TobiahH2900
• the servantעֶ֫בֶד‛ebed · servant/slaveH5650
• the Ammoniteעַמּוֹנִי‛ammônîy · AmmonH5984
• and Geshemגֶּ֫שֶׁםgeshem gashmû · GeshemH1654
• the Arabianעַרְבִי‛ărâbîy ‛arbîy · ArabianH6163
• heardשָׁמַעshâma‛ · to hear: hearH8085
• they laughed us to scornלָעַגlâ‛ag · to mockH3932
• and despisedבָּזָהbâzâh · to despiseH959
• us, and saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• this thingדָּבָרdâbâr · word: thingH1697
• that ye doעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to make: doH6213
• will ye rebelמָרַדmârad · to rebelH4775
• against the kingמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4428

Cross-references for Nehemiah 2:19

• Nehemiah 2:10But when Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite official heard of my arrival, they were very displeased that someone had come to help the people of Israel.
• Nehemiah 6:1Sanballat, Tobiah, Geshem the Arab, and the rest of our enemies found out that I had finished rebuilding the wall and that no gaps remained—though we had not yet set up the doors in the gates.
• Nehemiah 6:9They were just trying to intimidate us, imagining that they could discourage us and stop the work. So I continued the work with even greater determination.
• Job 30:1“But now I am mocked by people younger than I, by young men whose fathers are not worthy to run with my sheepdogs.
• Psalms 44:13You let our neighbors mock us. We are an object of scorn and derision to those around us.
• Psalms 79:4We are mocked by our neighbors, an object of scorn and derision to those around us.
• Psalms 80:6You have made us the scorn of neighboring nations. Our enemies treat us as a joke.
• Jeremiah 20:8When I speak, the words burst out. “Violence and destruction!” I shout. So these messages from the Lord have made me a household joke.
• Mark 5:40The crowd laughed at him. But he made them all leave, and he took the girl’s father and mother and his three disciples into the room where the girl was lying.
• Hebrews 11:36Some were jeered at, and their backs were cut open with whips. Others were chained in prisons.
• Nehemiah 6:6and this is what it said: “There is a rumor among the surrounding nations, and Geshem tells me it is true, that you and the Jews are planning to rebel and that is why you are building the wall. According to his reports, you plan to be their king.
• Ezra 4:15We suggest that a search be made in your ancestors’ records, where you will discover what a rebellious city this has been in the past. In fact, it was destroyed because of its long and troublesome history of revolt against the kings and countries who controlled it.
• Luke 23:2They began to state their case: “This man has been leading our people astray by telling them not to pay their taxes to the Roman government and by claiming he is the Messiah, a king.”
• John 19:12Then Pilate tried to release him, but the Jewish leaders shouted, “If you release this man, you are no ‘friend of Caesar.’ Anyone who declares himself a king is a rebel against Caesar.”
• Acts 24:5We have found this man to be a troublemaker who is constantly stirring up riots among the Jews all over the world. He is a ringleader of the cult known as the Nazarenes.

Commentaries on Nehemiah 2:19

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 19Geshem the Arabian - Some chief of the Arabs contiguous to Samaria, who had joined with Sanballat and Tobiah to distress the Jews, and hinder their work. Will ye rebel against the king? - This they said in order to raise jealousies in the king's mind, and induce him to recall his ordinance.Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 19-20Verses 19-20 The enmity of the serpent's seed against the cause of Christ is confined to no age or nation. The application to ourselves is plain. The church of God asks for our help. Is it not desolate, and exposed to assaults? Does the consideration of its low estate cause you any grief? Let not business, pleasure, or the support of a party so engage attention, as that Zion and her welfare shall be nothing to you.Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 19Nehemiah’s enemies quickly mocked and tried to halt progress. These opponents were dangerous because they could discourage the people and damage Nehemiah’s credibility. Are you rebelling against the king?: This serious accusation could lead to death (see also Ezra 4:6–23).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-201. it came to pass in the month Nisan--This was nearly four months after he had learned the desolate and ruinous state of Jerusalem (Ne 1:1). The reasons for so long a delay cannot be ascertained. I took up the wine, and gave it unto the king--Xenophon has particularly remarked about the polished and graceful manner in which the cupbearers of the Median, and consequently the Persian, monarchs performed their duty of presenting the wine to their royal…Read the comment

Topics related to Nehemiah 2:19

• Arabians
• Character
• Country
• Geshem
• Sanballat
• Tobiah

In the dictionaries

• Ammonite
• Arabian
• Ammon, Ammonite
• Arabia, Arabian
• Geshem
• Horonite
• Laugh
• Moabite
• Reproach
• Sanballat

Commentaries on Nehemiah 2

• 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
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings