Nehemiah 4:11

11 Meanwhile, our enemies were saying: "Before they know or see anything, we can be in their midst and start to kill them. We'll stop the work!"

Nehemiah 4:11 Meaning and Commentary

Nehemiah 4:11

And our adversaries said, they shall not know
Our designs upon them:

neither see;
or perceive what we are about to do:

till we come in the midst of them;
with an army suddenly, at an unawares, and unexpected:

and slay them;
they being unarmed, and not prepared to defend themselves:

and cause the work to cease;
as it must in course, the builders being slain.

Nehemiah 4:11 In-Context

9 So we prayed to our God and set a guard as protection against them day and night.

10 But in Judah it was said, "The carrier's strength is failing, for there is too much rubble. We are unable to rebuild the wall!"

11 Meanwhile, our enemies were saying: "Before they know or see anything, we can be in their midst and start to kill them. We'll stop the work!"

12 Now the Jews who were living near them came and said to us again and again,"You must return to us!"

13 So I took up a position in the lowest parts of the space behind the wall in an open area. Then I stationed the people by families, and they had their swords, spears, and bows.