Table of Contents
From Unified Work to Intense Opposition
Nehemiah chapter 4 marks a dramatic shift from the cooperative spirit of chapter 3 to the harsh reality of external opposition. As the wall rebuilding progresses with remarkable speed, the enemies of Judah, led by Sanballat and Tobiah, escalate their hostility. Their tactics move from simple displeasure to open mockery, and then to a conspiracy of violent attack. This chapter details the nature of that opposition and, more importantly, Nehemiah’s brilliant response. He models a leadership that is completely dependent on God through prayer, yet simultaneously wise, practical, and courageous in its actions. The central image of this chapter—a builder with a trowel in one hand and a sword in the other—has become an enduring symbol of Christian life and service: the necessity of carrying on God’s work while simultaneously being prepared for spiritual warfare.
Mockery and Threats
(Nehemiah 4:1-6) The chapter opens with Sanballat’s reaction to the news that the Jews were rebuilding the wall. He was furious and “very indignant.” His first weapon was mockery, a tool used to demoralize and shame the workers. In front of his associates and the army of Samaria, he hurled a series of contemptuous questions: “What are these feeble Jews doing? Will they restore it for themselves? Will they sacrifice? Will they finish up in a day? Will they revive the stones out of the heaps of rubbish, and burned ones at that?” Each question was designed to highlight the seeming impossibility of the task and the weakness of the builders. Tobiah the Ammonite joined in, adding his own sarcastic insult: “Yes, what they are building—if a fox goes up on it he will break down their stone wall!” The implication was that their work was so flimsy that even a small animal could destroy it.
Nehemiah’s response was not to trade insults or to argue with his enemies. Instead, he turned directly to God in prayer. His prayer is what is known as an imprecatory prayer, calling on God to judge his enemies. He asks God to “hear, for we are despised,” and to “turn back their taunt on their own heads.” This prayer may seem harsh, but it flows from a deep conviction that an attack on God’s work is an attack on God Himself. It is a plea for divine justice and a complete transfer of the burden from his own shoulders to God’s. Following this prayer, the people did not stop. The text says, “So we built the wall. And all the wall was joined together to half its height, for the people had a mind to work.” The enemy’s ridicule failed; it only strengthened the people’s resolve.
Conspiracy of Violence
(Nehemiah 4:7-14) When Sanballat, Tobiah, and their allies—the Arabs, the Ammonites, and the Ashdodites—saw that the repairs were progressing and the gaps in the wall were being closed, their anger boiled over. Mockery had failed, so they escalated their tactics to a conspiracy of violence. They all plotted together to come and fight against Jerusalem and to create confusion. Their plan was to launch a surprise attack to stop the work by force.
The threat was real and created a crisis of morale. The Jews living in the surrounding areas near the enemy territories repeatedly warned the builders, “They will come up against us from every place where you turn.” The workers themselves became discouraged. A saying arose in Judah: “The strength of those who bear the burdens is failing. There is too much rubble. By ourselves we will not be able to rebuild the wall.” The combination of physical exhaustion, the daunting task of clearing rubble, and the constant threat of attack was beginning to take its toll.
Once again, Nehemiah’s response was two-fold: prayer and practical action. “And we prayed to our God and set a guard as a protection against them day and night.” He did not choose one over the other; he saw them as two sides of the same coin of faith. He then took decisive military action. He stationed armed guards at the lowest and most exposed parts of the wall. He armed the people—”their swords, their spears, and their bows”—and organized them by families. He then delivered a powerful speech to rally their spirits: “Do not be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for your brothers, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your homes.” He refocused their attention from the fearsome enemy to their great God and reminded them of what they were fighting for: their families and their future.
Verse by Verse
(Nehemiah 4:1-3) Sanballat and Tobiah hear of the progress and respond with intense anger and public ridicule. Their taunts are designed to make the Jews and their work seem pathetic and doomed to fail.
(Nehemiah 4:4-5) Nehemiah’s immediate response is a prayer. He asks God to hear their plight and to bring the enemies’ insults back upon them. He entrusts the situation entirely to God’s justice.
(Nehemiah 4:6) Despite the mockery, the people continue their work with determination. The wall reaches half its intended height because the people “had a mind to work.” Their focus and unity overcame the attempt at demoralization.
(Nehemiah 4:7-8) The enemies see that mockery is not working. They form a coalition and conspire to launch a violent, surprise attack on Jerusalem to stop the project.
(Nehemiah 4:9) Nehemiah models the core theme of the chapter: “we prayed to our God and set a guard.” Faith in God is paired with wise, practical action.
(Nehemiah 4:10-12) The morale of the workers begins to fail. They are exhausted by the work, overwhelmed by the amount of rubble, and terrified by constant reports of an impending attack.
(Nehemiah 4:13-14) Nehemiah acts decisively. He arms the people, organizes them by family units for defense, and stations them at the most vulnerable points. He then delivers a stirring speech, urging them to remember the great Lord and to fight for their families.
(Nehemiah 4:15-18) The enemy’s plot is thwarted because they know their element of surprise is lost. The Jews return to the wall, but with a new system. Half the men worked while the other half stood guard with spears, shields, bows, and armor. Even the builders themselves carried a sword at their side as they worked.
(Nehemiah 4:19-23) Nehemiah establishes a communication and alarm system. Since the workers were spread out, a trumpeter would stay with Nehemiah to sound an alarm. If attacked, all workers were to rally to the sound of the trumpet. He instills a state of constant readiness, commanding that no one, including himself, was to leave the city or even take off their clothes at night.
A Sword and a Trowel
(Nehemiah 4:15-23) When the enemies learned that their plot had been discovered and that the Jews were prepared, they backed down. Nehemiah records that “God had frustrated their plan.” The immediate threat was averted, but the danger remained. This led to a new, sustainable mode of operation. The work continued, but under constant armed guard. Half of Nehemiah’s personal servants worked on the wall, while the other half stood guard, fully armed. The leaders of Judah stood behind the builders, offering support and protection.
The most memorable image is of the builders themselves: “Those who carried burdens were loaded in such a way that each labored on the work with one hand and held his weapon with the other. And each of the builders had his sword strapped at his side while he built.” This was a practical solution to a dangerous problem, but it also serves as a powerful metaphor for the Christian life. God’s people are called to be builders—of the church, of families, of communities, of justice. This is the work of the “trowel.” But they must also be soldiers, constantly vigilant and prepared for spiritual attack. This is the work of the “sword.” The chapter concludes by describing the state of constant readiness. A trumpeter stayed by Nehemiah’s side to sound an alarm, and the people were instructed to rally to the sound. No one let down their guard. They worked, ate, and slept in a state of preparedness, trusting God but also taking their responsibility to defend His work seriously.
Cross References
Ephesians 6:10-18: The Apostle Paul’s instruction for Christians to put on the “full armor of God” is the New Testament parallel to the scene in Nehemiah 4. While Nehemiah’s men armed themselves with physical weapons to face a physical threat, Paul calls believers to arm themselves with spiritual weapons—truth, righteousness, faith, salvation—to stand against the spiritual forces of evil.
1 Peter 5:8: “Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.” This verse captures the attitude of vigilance that Nehemiah instilled in his workers. They could not afford to be complacent because the enemy was real, hostile, and looking for an opportunity to attack.
Psalm 2:1-4: “Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD and against his Anointed.” This psalm perfectly describes the conspiracy of Sanballat, Tobiah, and their allies. Their plotting against Jerusalem was ultimately a plot against God’s plan. The psalmist’s confidence that God in heaven “laughs” at such plots is reflected in Nehemiah’s confidence that God would frustrate the enemy’s plan.
Matthew 10:16: Jesus told his disciples, “Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves.” Nehemiah is a perfect example of this principle. His innocence and righteousness are clear in his mission, but he is also incredibly shrewd and wise in his practical strategies for dealing with his “wolf-like” enemies. He does not rely on naivete, but on prayerful, strategic action.
2 Corinthians 11:26: The Apostle Paul lists the many dangers he faced in his ministry, including “danger from rivers, danger from robbers, danger from my own people, danger from Gentiles, danger in the city.” This list shows that intense opposition and physical threats have often been a part of the experience of God’s most faithful servants. Nehemiah’s experience was not an anomaly but a pattern.