Nehemiah 2:19

19 And Sanballat the Horonite, and Tobijah the servant, the Ammonite, and Geshem the Arabian, heard it; and they mocked us and despised us, and said, What is this thing which ye do? will ye rebel against the king?

Nehemiah 2:19 Meaning and Commentary

Nehemiah 2:19

But when Sanballat the Horonite, and Tobiah the servant, the
Ammonite, and Geshem the Arabian
This third man might be both an Arabian by birth, and governor of some part of Arabia near Judea:

heard it;
of their beginning to build:

they laughed us to scorn, and despised us;
as very silly people, that undertook what they could never perform:

and said;
adding threatenings to their scoffs:

what is this thing that ye do?
do ye know what ye are about? have ye any authority to do it? it is unlawful, you will certainly suffer for it:

will ye rebel against the king?
the king of Persia; it will be deemed rebellion and treason, and you will be taken up and treated as rebels and traitors; take care what you do, be it at your peril if you proceed.

Nehemiah 2:19 In-Context

17 And I said to them, Ye see the distress that we are in, that Jerusalem lies waste, and its gates are burned with fire. Come, and let us build up the wall of Jerusalem, that we be no more a reproach.

18 And I told them of the hand of my God which had been good upon me; as also of the king's words which he had said unto me. And they said, Let us rise up and build. And they strengthened their hands for the good [work].

19 And Sanballat the Horonite, and Tobijah the servant, the Ammonite, and Geshem the Arabian, heard it; and they mocked us and despised us, and said, What is this thing which ye do? will ye rebel against the king?

20 And I answered them, and said to them, The God of the heavens, he will prosper us, and we his servants will arise and build; but ye have no portion, nor right, nor memorial in Jerusalem.

Footnotes

• [a]. Gashmu: see ch. 6.6.