Nehemiah 4:1-6 - Opposition Begins

¹ Now it happened when Sanballat heard that we were building the wall, [he] became angry and greatly provoked, and he mocked the Jews. ² Then he said before his brothers and the army of Samaria, "What are the feeble Jews doing? Will they restore [these things] for themselves? Will they sacrifice? Will they finish it in a day? Will they revive the stones from the piles of rubble--even those burned up?" ³ Tobiah the Ammonite was beside him and said, "Their wall of stone that they are building would break down if a fox went on it!"

⁴ Hear, our God, for we are despised. Turn their scorn on their head and give them over to plunder in the land of captivity. ⁵ Do not cover their guilt, and do not let their sin be blotted out from before you. They have {provoked the builders to anger}.

⁶ So we rebuilt the wall, and all of the wall was joined up to half [its height]. For the people had a heart to do [it].