4:1–3 The presence of Sanballat, joined by Tobiah for the third time (cf. 2:10, 19), forebodes trouble for the postexilic community.87 Initially displeased greatly by Nehemiah’s presence and his resolve to do good to Jerusalem (2:10) and later raising the specter of rebellion (2:19), Sanballat, hearing of actual progress, becomes not only angry but also “greatly enraged” (4:1). This results in a litany of verbal assaults in the form of peppered rhetorical questions all categorized as “jeering,” whose major goal appears to be the destruction of the morale of the builders.88 These questions are likely the abstract of a longer speech delivered before “his brothers” (v. 2), not necessarily kin but rather allies who share his disdain at the prospects of a renewed Jerusalem. Overall, Sanballat’s anger leads to ridicule of God’s people, which is equivalent to provocation of the Lord (v. 5).89

First, Sanballat makes fun of the community with a personal attack by defining them as the “feeble Jews.” At one time this may have been an accurate assessment, since the related verbal form (Hb. ʼamal, “to grow feeble, to languish”) elsewhere describes the languishing state of Jerusalem’s walls and gates in the aftermath of Babylonian destruction (Lam. 2:8–9). Regardless of whether the presence of the “army of Samaria” implies Sanballat’s authority to command an organized fighting force or is simply a local show of power to counter Nehemiah’s “army and horsemen” (Neh. 2:9), its mention intimates that his underlying goal may go beyond mocking to enlist his hearers in physical threats against Jerusalem (cf. 4:8, 11).

Moving beyond personal attack, the question of whether they will “restore it for themselves” questions their competence—can forty-one work details apparently composed of clerics, laymen, and tradesmen rather than professional contractors actually build a functioning defensive structure?90 The third question (“Will they sacrifice?”) indirectly asks whether they will ever finish since sacrifices would, in the end, be offered to the Lord in a concluding celebration (12:27, 38, 43) just as at two prior climactic moments (Ezra 6:16–17; 8:35). This leads naturally to the next question, “Will they finish up in a day?” which implies a lack of realism on the builders’ part regarding the arduous nature of the work. Finally, the question of whether the builders will “resuscitate” charred limestone rubble challenges the sanity of a people who would rebuild their wall from weakened stones. The assumed fragility of the final product is summarized by Tobiah’s added statement of ridicule that an animal as small as a fox could knock it down (Neh. 4:3).

4:4–5 In turning to God the faithful admit their need and submit their defense to him. This is the first time, though not the last, that Nehemiah pleads for God’s help for the community in light of rising opposition (cf. 6:14; 13:28–29). As the enemies “heard” (4:1), so now Nehemiah implores God to “hear” (v. 4) their taunts and vindicate his “feeble” (v. 2) people. To bring reproach upon the Lord’s people is to bring reproach upon the Lord himself (1 Sam. 17:26, 45). It was this very reproach (= “shame”) that moved Nehemiah to action in the first place (Neh. 1:3). He yearns for poetic justice such that the vicious words that have made the community “despised” (Hb. buzah) will someday turn back upon Sanballat and Tobiah so that they become as “plunder” (bizzah) and captives—as the exiles themselves have only recently experienced. Like David (Ps. 109:6–20) and particularly Jeremiah (Jer. 18:18–23), Nehemiah asks God to find his opponents guilty with no hope of forgiveness for iniquity or removal of their sin for this offense, the very opposite of what God does for his repentant people (Ps. 85:1–3). But this is not personal vengeance. They have provoked God himself91 by mocking his people, and Nehemiah leaves vindication of God’s flock in God’s hands.

4:6 While Sanballat may have succeeded in rousing his own supporters, his first attempt at harming morale fails miserably. In answer to Nehemiah’s short prayer, the Lord renews the heart of the people to work. In fact, “So we built the wall” provides a somewhat abrupt summation to the prior material, emphasizing that the work progresses to “half its height” in a seeming act of willful, God-trusting defiance.

4:7–9 Like the binding of a broken bone, the progress of closing the wall fractures is described metaphorically with imagery of healing. The rare noun arukah, here translated “repairing” (v. 7; 2 Chron. 24:13; Isa. 58:8; Jer. 8:22; 30:17; 33:6), in Jeremiah describes the promise of restored health after exile, remarkably also preceded by a verse promising that foes will go into captivity and the plunderers will become plunder (Jer. 30:16–17)—just as Nehemiah has recently prayed (Neh. 4:4)!

The relationship between events in verses 6–8 is cemented by descriptions of the wall (“joined together”; v. 6) and the enemies (“plotted together”; v. 8) that both use a form of the verb qashar (“to join,” “to league together,” “to conspire”). Hearing of the building progress, the collective is now “very angry” (v. 7), mirroring the prior individual emotion of Sanballat (v. 1). Enemies from Samaria in the north are now joined by allies from the south (Arabs), east (Ammonites), and west (Ashdodites). Perhaps Tobiah and Geshem work their respective Ammonite and Arab connections to gain support (2:19). Ashdod, a former Philistine city, is at this time the name of a province under Persian rule (cf. 13:23). When these enemies band together, the Israelite remnant community is now threatened on all sides by forces outnumbering their own (cf. Josh. 11:1–5). What does the community do? As Nehemiah has previously prayed and acted (Neh. 2:4–5), the people respond with prayer combined with prudent action for around-the-clock self-defense (4:9).

4:10–14 “In Judah it was said” suggests this is a regularly repeated song or saying. In spite of progress, the interminable demands of the work bring on a “dispiriting weariness” and frank admission of the inability of the remnant community to complete the job.92 The complaint about “too much rubble” may reflect the increased destruction of homes along the eastern slope overlooking the Kidron Valley. These dwellings, especially near the wall, were dismantled to augment city defenses in the face of the Babylonian siege (cf. Jer. 33:4). As for the surrounding foes, whether Sanballat and his allies would have actually attacked, given Nehemiah’s authorization from Artaxerxes, is beside the point. The difficulty of the labor, combined with the threat of possible assault and desire to kill, generates the intended impact on morale.

The text is silent as to how the Judeans actually become aware of these increased threats. While Nehemiah 4:12 presents interpretive challenges (cf. ESV mg.), it suggests that Jews sympathetic to Jerusalem’s plight because they live near its enemies and are aware of their plotting become increasingly distressed and converge often (“from all directions . . . ten times”) to communicate their concerns. Aware of the increased saber-rattling, they fear for the safety of loved ones building in Jerusalem. Their message, “You must return to us,” represents a call to those from surrounding towns and villages (cf. 3:2, 5, 7) to abandon the Jerusalem mission and return home to relative safety.93

This interpretation makes sense of Nehemiah’s actions that follow. Given information about real death threats in order to “stop the work” (4:11) and the possibility of desertion of the work by those living outside of Jerusalem (v. 12; cf. v. 22), Nehemiah adopts alternative tactics (v. 13), including a strategic cessation of work (vv. 13–14; cf. v. 15). Although the text is difficult, the sense may be that at some point along the wall that is least elevated (“in the lowest parts”) and most visible to outside observation (“in open places”) he arms and stations the people “by their clans” (v. 13). This would give the impression of a unified force poised for conflict and show the enemies that any advantage of a surprise attack has been lost. A gathering at one place, rather than distribution of men at various vulnerable points along the wall, also makes better sense of the three verbs that immediately head verse 14, describing Nehemiah’s address to boost morale for the whole community.94

At no point should the wisdom of establishing communal defense imply a lack of trust in God. In “remembering” that the Lord is “great and awesome,” they also remember that he is faithful to his covenant (1:5; 9:32; Dan. 9:4) and will defend his people in the present as he has in the past. The Lord’s implied presence not only dispels the fear of man, as earlier in their history (cf. Ex. 14:13; Num. 14:9; Deut. 3:22; 7:21; 20:3–4; Josh. 10:25); it further braces the community to fight for their families, those who are most precious to them (Neh. 4:14; cf. 2 Sam. 10:12).

4:15 This verse provides an introduction to what follows. Previously when the enemies heard of an advance in the wall-building project, they responded with anger and further action (vv. 1–3, 7–8). Now they respond with silence. As the walls go up, the former threats come tumbling down. Enemies once able to “frustrate [the] purpose” of God’s people in rebuilding (Ezra 4:5) can do so no longer. God blesses Nehemiah’s strategy (cf. comment on Neh. 4:10–14) and “frustrate[s] their plan [= “purpose”]” (cf. Ps. 33:10–11), for a time silencing the derision of Sanballat and Tobiah, as Nehemiah had prayed (Neh. 4:4). The work stoppage implied in verses 13–14 is now also reversed, and the work restarts.

4:16–18 The temporal notice “from that day on” (v. 16) now indicates a fourth shift in tactics, as Nehemiah organizes how the work will proceed until project completion (cf. 6:15).96 He takes several steps to balance work and defense as well as to maintain morale. Wisely, half of Nehemiah’s servants “worked on construction” while he withdraws the other half to provide a visible guard detail in case of attack. The referent of “my servants” (4:16, 23; 5:10, 16; 13:19) is not certain, though it may represent those who function as his private militia in his role as governor (cf. 2:9).97 The weapons of the latter, including shields and coats of mail, which limit their ability to work, indicate a more formally armed troop (cf. 4:13). Beyond his servants, Nehemiah takes steps with three other groups, each with an assigned task. First, the “leaders” (v. 16) stand apart to supervise progress along specific segments of the wall and to keep watch for potential danger.98 Next, “those who carried burdens” (v. 17), that is, who bring supplies or clear rubble, do so while maintaining their need to make use of an easily wielded weapon. Likewise, the builders are armed at the hip, needing two available hands to continue the work (v. 18).

4:19–20 Although the threat diminishes, Nehemiah stresses the need for all to remain vigilant given their dispersal around the wall perimeter. As he had earlier exhorted the nobles, officials,99 and the rest of the people to “remember the Lord” and fight (v. 14), so now he implores this same triad to gather to him for battle should they hear the trumpeter’s blast (vv. 18, 20; cf. Judg. 3:27; 6:34). All the while Nehemiah encourages the embrace of Israel’s well-worn adage, “Our God will fight for us” (cf. Ex. 14:14; Deut. 1:30; Josh. 10:14, 42; 2 Chron. 32:5–8).

4:21 This verse is taken as a conclusion to the current paragraph, since it summarizes prior content. It recounts in nearly identical language that “We [i.e., Nehemiah and his servants] labored at the work” (cf. v. 16, “My servants worked on construction”); like verse 16, it reiterates that half of the servants stand guard, implying that the other half work.100 The notice that Nehemiah’s servants work and watch from sunrise to beyond sunset (v. 21) transitions to the final paragraph of the chapter.

4:22–23 With “I also said” Nehemiah once more addresses the people (cf. vv. 19–20) and implements a final strategy, calling for workers to remain within the city. Concern over desertions may be valid (cf. v. 12), and keeping builders within Jerusalem will improve efficiency to ensure their “labor by day” (v. 22). However, the primary reason to limit travel remains the city’s security. This appeal would also increase the safety of those living outside the city who might endanger themselves by commuting daily back and forth to their nearby villages.

The concluding verse highlights the exemplary leadership of Nehemiah and his support staff, whether kinsmen, servants, or guard, in order to stress their endurance and preparedness. The final clause of verse 23, “each kept his weapon,” is clear enough and fits the context well, though how to take the final Hebrew word, translated “at his right hand,” remains elusive.101 As translated in the ESV it suggests that even at rest they remain fully dressed, with weapons located at their right hand, at the ready.