Nehemiah 4:2

“And he spake before his brethren, etc.] Tobiah the Ammonite, and Geshem the Arabian, and perhaps some other governors of the king of Persia in those parts: and before the army of Samaria: which, and the inhabitants of it, were implacable enemies of the Jews: and said, what do these feeble Jews? what do they pretend to do, or what can they do? will they fortify themselves? by building a wall about their city; can they think they shall ever be able to do this, or that it will be allowed? will they sacrifice? meaning not their daily sacrifice, as Jarchi, that they had done a long time, but for the dedication of their building, as Aben Ezra: will they make an end in a day? they seem to be in as…”

“In a day - Do they intend to begin, and finish the work, all in one day? For if they spend any long time about it, they cannot think that we will suffer them to do it. The stones - Will they pick up their broken stones out of the ruins, and patch them together. Burnt - Which stones were burnt, and broken, by the Chaldeans when they took the city. Nehemiah 4:4”

“4:2 The Persians had stationed Samarian army officers in Jerusalem to keep peace. • poor, feeble Jews: Sanballat’s mockery had an element of truth: The Jews were not rich, powerful, or many in number. However, Sanballat failed to realize the strength of the God whom the Jews served. • Do they think . . . by just offering a few sacrifices? Sanballat might have been mocking a sudden increase in sacrifices at the Temple as the Israelites dedicated their work to the Lord. • rubbish . . . charred: When fire destroyed Jerusalem (586 BC), it heated the stones, causing some to crack and crumble. The people used these stones to restore the walls.”

“the army: Ezr 4:9, Ezr 4:10 feeble: Sa1 14:11, Sa1 14:12, Sa1 17:43, Sa1 17:44; Zac 12:8; Co1 1:27 fortify themselves: Heb. leave to themselves sacrifice: Neh 12:27, Neh 12:43 revive: Neh 4:10; Eze 37:3-13; Hab 3:2 Nehemiah 4:3”