[:en]Oppositions to the rebuilding of Wall:
- Sanballat, the Heronite – “What are those feeble Jews doing? Will they restore their wall? Will they offer sacrifices? Will they finish in a day? Can they bring the stones back to life for the heaps of rubble – burned as they are?” (v. 2)
- Tobiah, the Ammonite – “What they are building – if even a fox climbed up on it, he would break down their wall of stones!” (v. 3)
But Nehemiah prayed to the Lord. They continued rebuilding and worked with all their heart. When Sanballat, Tobiah, the Arabs and Ammonites heard that the repairs went ahead, they all plotted to stir trouble and fight against jerusalem. They threatened to attack and kill them. So Nehemiah prayed to God and posted a guard day and night to meet this threat. He assured the people saying: “Don’t be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for your brothers, your sons and your daughters, your wives and your homes” (v. 14) So they continued their work with half the men holding spear.[:]