Nehemiah 4:7
What does Nehemiah 4:7 mean?
A plain-English look at Nehemiah 4:7 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.
What Nehemiah 4:7 means
As the wall advances and the breaches begin closing, opposition broadens. Sanballat, Tobiah, and now the Arabians, the Ammonites, and the Ashdodites become incensed. The progress unites diverse enemies with a common purpose: to stop Jerusalem from regaining stability. Hatred often forms strange alliances when God’s people repair what is broken. The more visible the repair, the fiercer the anger. This verse shows how good work can inadvertently rouse increased resistance. The closing of gaps on the wall exposes the deeper gap in the enemies’ hearts—a refusal to let Jerusalem stand. Yet their fury cannot undo what God has already helped begin.
Parallel translations
WEB
World English Bible · 2000But it came to pass that, when Sanballat, and Tobiah, and the Arabians, and the Ammonites, and the Ashdodites, heard that the repairing of the walls of Jerusalem went forward, and that the breaches began to be stopped, then they were very wroth;
KJV
King James Version · 1611But 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,
ASV
American Standard Version · 1901But it came to pass that, when Sanballat, and Tobiah, and the Arabians, and the Ammonites, and the Ashdodites, heard that the repairing of the walls of Jerusalem went forward, and that the breaches began to be stopped, then they were very wroth;
BBE
Bible in Basic English · 1949But when it came to the ears of Sanballat and Tobiah and the Arabians and the Ammonites and the Ashdodites, that the building of the walls of Jerusalem was going forward and the broken places were being made good, they were full of wrath;
YLT
Young's Literal Translation · 1862And it cometh to pass, when Sanballat hath heard, and Tobiah, and the Arabians, and the Ammonites, and the Ashdodites, that lengthening hath gone up to the walls of Jerusalem, that the breeches have begun to be stopped, then it is very displeasing to them,
DRA
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752And it came to pass, when Sanaballat, and Tobias, and the Arabians, and the Ammonites, and the Azotians heard that the walls of Jerusalem were made up, and the breaches began to be closed, that they were exceedingly angry.
DBY
Darby Bible · 1890And it came to pass, when Sanballat, and Tobijah, and the Arabians, and the Ammonites, and the Ashdodites heard that the walls of Jerusalem were being repaired, that the breaches began to be stopped, then they were very wroth,
Context
Coming right after the halfway milestone in verse 6, verse 7 expands the circle of opposition. What began as mockery from two men becomes regional outrage, signaling a shift from words to action. The narrative prepares readers for the conspiracy of verse 8. The tempo intensifies: as the wall’s breaches close, the enemies close ranks. This sets the stage for Nehemiah’s dual response of prayer and practical vigilance in verse 9, modeling a balanced approach to mounting threats.
Cross references
Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.
- Nehemiah 13:23
In those days also saw I the Jews that had married women of Ashdod, of Ammon, andof Moab:
- Ezra 4:4
Then the people of the land weakened the hands of the people of Judah, and troubled them in building,
- Nehemiah 2:10
And when Sanballat the Horonite, and Tobiah the servant, the Ammonite, heard of it, it grieved them exceedingly, for that there was come a man to seek the welfare of the children of Israel.
- 1 Samuel 5:1
Now the Philistines had taken the ark of God, and they brought it from Eben-ezer unto Ashdod.
- Revelation 12:12
Therefore rejoice, O heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe for the earth and for the sea: because the devil is gone down unto you, having great wrath, knowing that he hath but a short time.
- Acts 5:33
But they, when they heard this, were cut to the heart, and were minded to slay them.
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