Nehemiah 4:2

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?

And he spake {H559} before {H6440} his brethren {H251} and the army {H2428} of Samaria {H8111}, and said {H559}, What do {H6213} these feeble {H537} Jews {H3064}? will they fortify {H5800} themselves? will they sacrifice {H2076}? will they make an end {H3615} in a day {H3117}? will they revive {H2421} the stones {H68} out of the heaps {H6194} of the rubbish {H6083} which are burned {H8313}?

before his kinsmen and the army of Shomron he said, "What are these pathetic Judeans doing? Are they going to rebuild anything they want? Are they going to sacrifice? Are they going to finish today? Are they going to recover useful stones from the piles of rubble, burned rubble at that?"

before his associates and the army of Samaria, saying, “What are these feeble Jews doing? Can they restore the wall by themselves? Will they offer sacrifices? Will they complete it in a day? Can they bring these burnt stones back to life from the mounds of rubble?”

And he spake before his brethren and the army of Samaria, and said, What are these feeble Jews doing? 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 rubbish, seeing they are burned?

Context of Nehemiah 4:2

This verse captures the scornful words of Sanballat the Horonite, a prominent adversary of Nehemiah and the Jewish people during their efforts to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. Following the Babylonian exile, the returned Jews faced immense challenges, not least from surrounding peoples who viewed their re-establishment as a threat. Sanballat, along with Tobiah the Ammonite (mentioned in Nehemiah 4:3), led the opposition. His words here are a public display of contempt and an attempt to demoralize the workers, spoken before his brethren and the army of Samaria, likely to garner support for their obstructionist tactics. The rebuilding project, initiated by Nehemiah's leadership (see Nehemiah 2:17), was seen as an audacious and improbable undertaking by their enemies.

Key Themes and Messages

  • Mockery and Scorn: Sanballat's series of rhetorical questions is dripping with disdain, calling the Jews "feeble" and questioning their capabilities. This was a common tactic of psychological warfare designed to undermine morale and confidence.
  • Underestimation of God's People: The enemies clearly underestimated the determination and divine assistance empowering the Jews. Their questions imply that the task is far beyond the Jews' strength or resources.
  • The Immense Challenge: The phrase "revive the stones out of the heaps of the rubbish which are burned" vividly illustrates the daunting nature of the task. Jerusalem's walls had been utterly destroyed by fire, leaving behind charred rubble. Reusing such damaged material was seen as absurd, highlighting the perceived impossibility of the project.
  • Opposition to God's Work: Fundamentally, Sanballat's opposition was not just against the Jews, but against the restoration work that God had ordained for His people. This theme of human opposition to divine plans is recurrent throughout scripture.

Linguistic Insights

The term "feeble Jews" translates a Hebrew word (dal) that signifies weakness, poverty, or insignificance. Sanballat uses it to emphasize their perceived lack of strength, resources, and influence, contrasting sharply with his own powerful position. The imagery of "revive the stones out of the heaps of the rubbish which are burned" is particularly potent. The word "revive" (chayah) usually means to live or restore to life. Here, applied to inanimate, destroyed stones, it underscores the sheer absurdity and hopelessness Sanballat wished to convey—it would be like bringing dead things back to life, an impossible feat for mere mortals.

Practical Application

Nehemiah 4:2 offers timeless insights into facing opposition and discouragement, especially when engaged in endeavors that seem overwhelming or divinely appointed:

  • Expect Opposition: Whenever significant work for God is undertaken, opposition, ridicule, and attempts to discourage are often inevitable. Just as Nehemiah faced Sanballat, believers today may encounter critics or those who doubt their capabilities.
  • Do Not Be Deterred by Scorn: Sanballat's words were meant to paralyze with fear and self-doubt. The Jews, under Nehemiah's leadership, largely ignored the taunts and pressed on, demonstrating the importance of focusing on God's call rather than human opinion. This echoes the sentiment found in Psalm 118:6, "The LORD is on my side; I will not fear: what can man do unto me?"
  • Perseverance in the Face of Impossibility: The task of rebuilding with burned, broken stones seemed impossible, yet the Jews completed it (as seen in Nehemiah 6:15). This reminds us that with God, seemingly impossible tasks can be accomplished, and that faithful persistence is key.
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.

  • 1 Corinthians 1:27

    But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty;

  • Ezra 4:9

    Then [wrote] Rehum the chancellor, and Shimshai the scribe, and the rest of their companions; the Dinaites, the Apharsathchites, the Tarpelites, the Apharsites, the Archevites, the Babylonians, the Susanchites, the Dehavites, [and] the Elamites,

  • Ezra 4:10

    And the rest of the nations whom the great and noble Asnappar brought over, and set in the cities of Samaria, and the rest [that are] on this side the river, and at such a time.

  • Habakkuk 3:2

    O LORD, I have heard thy speech, [and] was afraid: O LORD, revive thy work in the midst of the years, in the midst of the years make known; in wrath remember mercy.

  • Nehemiah 12:43

    Also that day they offered great sacrifices, and rejoiced: for God had made them rejoice with great joy: the wives also and the children rejoiced: so that the joy of Jerusalem was heard even afar off.

  • 1 Samuel 14:11

    And both of them discovered themselves unto the garrison of the Philistines: and the Philistines said, Behold, the Hebrews come forth out of the holes where they had hid themselves.

  • 1 Samuel 14:12

    And the men of the garrison answered Jonathan and his armourbearer, and said, Come up to us, and we will shew you a thing. And Jonathan said unto his armourbearer, Come up after me: for the LORD hath delivered them into the hand of Israel.

Add TrulyRandomVerse to your Home Screen for quick access!

← Back