Nehemiah 2:19

19 But Sanballat the Horonite, the Ammonite servant Tobiah, and Geshem the Arab heard it, and they mocked and despised us, saying, "What is this thing that you are doing? Are you rebelling 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 Then I said to them, "You see the misery that we are in, that Jerusalem is ruined and its gates burned by the fire. Come, build the walls of Jerusalem and we shall no longer be a disgrace."

18 I told them of the good hand of my God that was upon me and surely the words of the king that were spoken to me. And they said, "Let us arise and build!" And they strengthened their hands for [this] good work.

19 But Sanballat the Horonite, the Ammonite servant Tobiah, and Geshem the Arab heard it, and they mocked and despised us, saying, "What is this thing that you are doing? Are you rebelling against the king?"

20 Then I answered and said to them, "The God of the heavens himself will let us succeed, and we his servants shall arise and build. But for you there is no share, right, or memorial in Jerusalem."