What's striking here is the description of the repairs: "the repairing of the walls of Jerusalem was going forward and that the breaches were beginning to be stopped." This isn't just about finishing a project; it uses imagery of "healing" and "stopping wounds" to show how the community itself was being restored. The enemies’ rage erupts precisely because this act of mending was visibly succeeding, showing the power of restoration.
But when Sanballat and Tobiah and the Arabs and the Ammonites and the Ashdodites heard that the repairing of the walls of Jerusalem was going forward and that the breaches were beginning to be closed, they were very angry.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Nehemiah and the people of Jerusalem have been diligently rebuilding the city walls, making tangible progress in closing the breaches. This success enrages their surrounding enemies – Sanballat, Tobiah, and various regional groups – who previously scoffed at the endeavor. Hearing that the wall is rising and the gaps are being filled, their mockery turns to fury and a renewed determination to stop the work by force.
When Nehemiah and the people of Jerusalem started rebuilding the walls, it wasn't just a few people who noticed. A whole coalition of enemies sprang into action.
A United Front Against Restoration
Notice how Nehemiah 4:7 lists a diverse group of adversaries: Sanballat and Tobiah (leaders from Samaria and Ammon, respectively), along with the Arabs, Ammonites, and Ashdodites. This wasn't just local grumbling; it was a coordinated threat.
The anger described here wasn't a mild annoyance; it was a deep-seated fury born from the tangible progress being made.
The Bible uses a powerful metaphor to describe the rebuilding process. It wasn't just construction; it was restoration and healing.
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More Than Bricks and Mortar
The Hebrew word used for 'repairing' here carries a sense of 'healing' or 'making whole.' It’s as if the walls of Jerusalem were a wounded body, and Nehemiah’s work was like applying a restorative bandage.
Understand the original words
‘aloth · Hebrew Noun/Verb
The act of restoring or mending that which was broken or dilapidated; in Scripture, it often points to the restoration of God's covenant, temple, or people.
perets · Hebrew Noun
Gaps or openings in a wall or defense; symbolically, these represent areas of weakness, vulnerability, or failure in personal or national righteousness.
charah aph · Hebrew Adjective/Verb phrase
A strong, intense emotional response often associated with opposition to God's work; it frequently highlights the antagonism of the world toward those fulfilling God's purposes.
The rebuilding of Jerusalem's walls under Nehemiah wasn't just a construction project; it was a political act that threatened the established regional powers who benefited from Judah's weakened state after the Babylonian exile. The opposition stemmed from a mix of political rivalry, ethnic animosity, and fear of a resurgent Jewish community.
c. 722 BC
Fall of Samaria
The Assyrian Empire conquers the northern Kingdom of Israel, exiling many and repopulating the region with foreigners. This event sowed the seeds of future tensions and mixed populations in Samaria.
586 BC
Destruction of Jerusalem
The Babylonian Empire under Nebuchadnezzar II conquers Judah, destroys Jerusalem and its Temple, and deports a significant portion of the population to Babylon.
c. 538 BC
First Return of Exiles
Following the Persian conquest of Babylon, Cyrus the Great issues a decree allowing exiled Jews to return to Judah and rebuild their Temple. This marks the beginning of the post-exilic period.
c. 445 BC— this verse
Nehemiah's Commission
King Artaxerxes I of Persia appoints Nehemiah, a Jewish cupbearer, as governor of Judah, granting him permission and resources to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem.
c. 445 BC
Opposition Arises
Upon hearing that the walls of Jerusalem are being repaired and breaches are being closed, regional enemies including Sanballat (governor of Samaria), Tobiah (an Ammonite official), Arabs, Ammonites, and Ashdodites become furious and plot against the work.
c. 445 BC
Conspiracy and Threat
The enemies of Jerusalem, angered by the progress of the wall repairs, conspire to attack the city and halt the rebuilding efforts, forcing Nehemiah to implement security measures.
This passage describes a similar coalition of nations plotting against Israel, highlighting the consistent historical pattern of surrounding peoples rising up against God's people when they seem vulnerable or are trying to re-establish themselves.
Ezra 4:1-5This earlier account shows the same opposition and tactics used against the rebuilding of the temple, demonstrating that the enemies of God's work often employ discouragement and political maneuvering across different phases of restoration.
Galatians 5:17The intense anger of Sanballat and his allies reflects the 'desires of the flesh' that are 'contrary to the Spirit,' illustrating the spiritual conflict inherent when God's people seek to live according to His will and re-establish His order.
1 Peter 5:8-9The enemies' rage and conspiracy are a direct challenge, reminding us to be alert and sober-minded, resisting the devil's schemes just as Nehemiah and his people faced their opposition with vigilance and faith.
pulpitNehemiah 4:7: "But it came to pass, that when Sanballat, and Tobiah, and the Arabians, and the Ammonites, and the Ashdodites, heard that the walls of Jerusalem were made up, and that the breaches began to be stopped, then they were very wroth,"
Verse 7. - It came to pass, that when Sanballat, and Tobiah, at Samaria, and the Arabians, and the Ammonites, and the Ashdodites, in their respective residences, heard that the walls of Jerusalem were made up, or "that the (entire) wall of Jerusalem was…
clarkeNehemiah 4:7: "But it came to pass, that when Sanballat, and Tobiah, and the Arabians, and the Ammonites, and the Ashdodites, heard that the walls of Jerusalem were made up, and that the breaches began to be stopped, then they were very wroth,"
The walls of Jerusalem were made up - That is, they were made up to the half height of the wall; for the preceding verse seems to intimate that the whole wall was thus far built; not half of the wall completed, but the whole wall built to half its height…
What's striking here is the description of the repairs: "the repairing of the walls of Jerusalem was going forward and that the breaches were beginning to be stopped." This isn't just about finishing a project; it uses imagery of "healing" and "stopping wounds" to show how the community itself was being restored. The enemies’ rage erupts precisely because this act of mending was visibly succeeding, showing the power of restoration.
Nehemiah and the people of Jerusalem have been diligently rebuilding the city walls, making tangible progress in closing the breaches. This success enrages their surrounding enemies – Sanballat, Tobiah, and various regional groups – who previously scoffed at the endeavor. Hearing that the wall is rising and the gaps are being filled, their mockery turns to fury and a renewed determination to stop the work by force.
Nehemiah and the people of Jerusalem have been diligently rebuilding the city walls, making tangible progress in closing the breaches. This success enrages their surrounding enemies – Sanballat, Tobiah, and various regional groups – who previously scoffed at the endeavor. Hearing that the wall is rising and the gaps are being filled, their mockery turns to fury and a renewed determination to stop the work by force.
"But when Sanballat and Tobiah and the Arabs and the Ammonites and the Ashdodites heard that the repairing of the walls of Jerusalem was going forward and that the breaches were beginning to be closed, they were very angry." — What's striking here is the description of the repairs: "the repairing of the walls of Jerusalem was going forward and that the breaches were beginning to be stopped." This isn't just about finishing…
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Last reviewed October 2026
