Nehemiah 4:4

4 Hear, O our God, for we have been despised; and turn back their reproach on their own head, and give them for a spoil in a land of captivity;

Nehemiah 4:4 Meaning and Commentary

Nehemiah 4:4

Hear, O our God, for we are despised
Here begins the prayer of Nehemiah, who had been informed of what these men said in contempt of him, and his builders, and to whom he sent no answer, but applied to God:

and turn their reproach upon their own head;
as they have despised and reproached us, let them be despised and reproached by their neighbours:

give them for a prey in the land of captivity;
let them be carried captive, as we have been, and become a prey and booty to their enemies.

Nehemiah 4:4 In-Context

2 and saith before his brethren and the force of Samaria, yea, he saith, `What [are] the weak Jews doing? are they left to themselves? do they sacrifice? do they complete in a day? do they revive the stones out of the heaps of the rubbish? -- and they burnt!'

3 And Tobiah the Ammonite [is] by him and saith, `Also, that which they are building -- if a fox doth go up, then it hath broken down their stone wall.'

4 Hear, O our God, for we have been despised; and turn back their reproach on their own head, and give them for a spoil in a land of captivity;

5 and do not cover over their iniquity, and their sin from before Thee let not be blotted out, for they have provoked to anger -- over-against those building.

6 And we build the wall, and all the wall is joined -- unto its half, and the people have a heart to work.