Nehemiah 4:11

11 And our adversaries said, They shall not know or see until we come in the midst among them and slay them and cause the work to cease.

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 Nevertheless, we made our prayer unto our God and set a watch over the builders day and night because of them.

10 And Judah said, The strength of the bearers of burdens is decayed, and there is much rubbish so that we are not able to build the wall.

11 And our adversaries said, They shall not know or see until we come in the midst among them and slay them and cause the work to cease.

12 But it came to pass, that when the Jews who dwelt among them came, they advised us ten times of all the places from which they would come upon us.

13 Therefore, I set in the lower places behind the wall, and on the higher places, I set the people by families with their swords, their spears, and their bows.