Nehemiah 4:11

And our adversaries said, They shall not know, neither see, till we come in the midst among them, and slay them, and cause the work to cease.

And our adversaries {H6862} said {H559}, They shall not know {H3045}, neither see {H7200}, till we come {H935} in the midst {H8432} among {H8432} them, and slay {H2026} them, and cause the work {H4399} to cease {H7673}.

Our enemies were saying, "They won't know or see anything, until we have already infiltrated them and begun killing them and stopping the work."

And our enemies said, “Before they know or see a thing, we will come into their midst, kill them, and put an end to the work.”

And our adversaries said, They shall not know, neither see, till we come into the midst of them, and slay them, and cause the work to cease.

Context

Nehemiah 4:11 provides a stark glimpse into the escalating opposition faced by the Jewish exiles under the leadership of Nehemiah as they diligently rebuilt the walls of Jerusalem. Following their return from Babylonian captivity, the people were committed to restoring their city and their spiritual heritage. However, this divine work was met with fierce resistance from surrounding peoples, primarily Sanballat the Horonite, Tobiah the Ammonite, and Geshem the Arabian. Initially, their opposition manifested as mockery and scorn (Nehemiah 4:1-3). This verse, however, reveals a dangerous shift: the adversaries' intentions have moved from verbal ridicule to a sinister plot of surprise attack and murder, aiming to physically eliminate the workers and thereby "cause the work to cease."

Key Themes

  • Escalating Opposition: The verse highlights how resistance to God's work often intensifies. What begins as derision can quickly morph into violent threats and actions. The enemies' plan was to act swiftly and secretly ("not know, neither see") to maximize their destructive impact.
  • Adversarial Intent: The core aim of the adversaries was twofold: to "slay them" (eliminate God's people) and to "cause the work to cease" (frustrate God's purposes). This reveals a deep-seated hatred for God and His people, manifested in their desire to halt the restoration of Jerusalem.
  • The Nature of Spiritual Warfare: While the threat was physical, it carried profound spiritual implications. The rebuilding of the wall was not merely an architectural project but a symbol of God's covenant faithfulness and the restoration of His people. The opposition was, therefore, a direct challenge to God's plan, echoing the spiritual battles faced by believers throughout history.

Linguistic Insights

The phrase "cause the work to cease" uses the Hebrew verb shabath (שָׁבַת), which means 'to cease,' 'to rest,' or 'to stop.' It is the same root word from which 'Sabbath' is derived. Here, it implies bringing the rebuilding efforts to a complete and permanent halt, not just a temporary pause. This underscores the adversaries' desire for absolute termination of the project and the community's efforts.

Related Scriptures

Nehemiah's response to such threats involved both prayer and practical vigilance, as seen in Nehemiah 4:9, where he states, "Nevertheless we made our prayer unto our God, and set a watch against them day and night, because of them." The subsequent verses detail how Nehemiah armed the builders and fortified their positions (Nehemiah 4:13-18), demonstrating a balanced approach to spiritual and physical defense. Ultimately, despite intense opposition, the wall was completed in a remarkably short time, a testament to God's faithfulness and the people's perseverance (Nehemiah 6:15).

Practical Application

This verse offers timeless lessons for believers today. When pursuing God's call or living out one's faith, it is common to encounter opposition that can escalate from subtle criticism to overt hostility. Nehemiah 4:11 reminds us that adversaries often seek to stop God's work by sowing fear, division, or by direct attack. For modern believers, this may manifest as spiritual warfare, social pressure, or direct challenges to one's faith or ministry. The takeaway is to remain vigilant, acknowledging that the enemy's intent is to "slay" (discourage, defeat) and "cause the work to cease" (hinder the spread of the Gospel or personal spiritual growth). However, like Nehemiah, we are called to persevere with both prayer and practical wisdom, trusting in God's ultimate victory and the completion of His purposes.

Note: Commentary was generated by an advanced AI, utilizing a prompt that emphasized Biblical fidelity over bias. We've found these insights to be consistently reliable, yet we always encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

  • Isaiah 47:11

    Therefore shall evil come upon thee; thou shalt not know from whence it riseth: and mischief shall fall upon thee; thou shalt not be able to put it off: and desolation shall come upon thee suddenly, [which] thou shalt not know.

  • Psalms 56:6

    They gather themselves together, they hide themselves, they mark my steps, when they wait for my soul.

  • Acts 23:21

    But do not thou yield unto them: for there lie in wait for him of them more than forty men, which have bound themselves with an oath, that they will neither eat nor drink till they have killed him: and now are they ready, looking for a promise from thee.

  • 1 Thessalonians 5:2

    For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.

  • 2 Samuel 17:2

    And I will come upon him while he [is] weary and weak handed, and will make him afraid: and all the people that [are] with him shall flee; and I will smite the king only:

  • Judges 20:29

    And Israel set liers in wait round about Gibeah.

  • Judges 20:48

    And the men of Israel turned again upon the children of Benjamin, and smote them with the edge of the sword, as well the men of [every] city, as the beast, and all that came to hand: also they set on fire all the cities that they came to.

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