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Nehemiah 4:2

Samaria

1 Now when Sanballat heard that we were rebuilding the wall, he was furious and filled with indignation. He ridiculed the Jews

before his associates and the army of Samaria, saying, “What are these feeble Jews doing? Can they restore the wall by themselves? Will they offer sacrifices? Will they complete it in a day? Can they bring these burnt stones back to life from the mounds of rubble?”

3 Then Tobiah the Ammonite, who was beside him, said, “If even a fox were to climb up on what they are building, it would break down their wall of stones!”

4 Hear us, O God, for we are despised. Turn their scorn back upon their own heads, and let them be taken as plunder to a land of captivity.

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Here the Bible tells a story about someone else. Ask yourself what it can say to us today. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB
before his associates and the army of Samaria, saying, “What are these feeble Jews doing? Can they restore the wall by themselves? Will they offer sacrifices? Will they complete it in a day? Can they bring these burnt stones back to life from the mounds of rubble?”
KJV
And he spake before his brethren and the army of Samaria, and said, What do these feeble Jews? will they fortify themselves? will they sacrifice? will they make an end in a day? will they revive the stones out of the heaps of the rubbish which are burned?
WEB
He spoke before his brothers and the army of Samaria, and said, “What are these feeble Jews doing? Will they fortify themselves? Will they sacrifice? Will they finish in a day? Will they revive the stones out of the heaps of rubbish, since they are burned?”
ASV
And he spake before his brethren and the army of Samaria, and said, What are these feeble Jews doing? will they fortify themselves? will they sacrifice? will they make an end in a day? will they revive the stones out of the heaps of rubbish, seeing they are burned?
DARBY
And he spoke before his brethren and the army of Samaria, and said, What do these feeble Jews? shall they be permitted to go on? Will they offer sacrifices? Will they finish in a day? Will they revive the stones out of the heaps of rubbish, when they are burned?
BLB
And he spoke before the face of his brothers and the force of Samaria and said, “What are these feeble Jews doing? Will they fortify themselves? Will they offer sacrifices? Will they complete it in a day? Will they revive the stones from the heaps of the rubble—and they [are] burned?”
ÅB
og sa i nærvær av sine brødre og krigsfolket i Samaria: Hva er det disse visne jøder gjør? Skal de ha lov til slikt? Skal de få ofre? Skal tro de vil få fullført verket idag? Skal tro de vil blåse liv i steinene fra grushaugene enda de alt er forbrent?
OTB
Han talte i nærvær av sine medarbeidere og Samarias hær og sa: "Hva er det disse svake jødene gjør? Skal de gjenreise sin mur? Kan de ofre? Vil de fullføre det på en dag? Kan de gjenopplive steinene fra ruinhaugene, selv de som er brent?"
B1930
og sa i nærvær av sine brødre og krigsfolket i Samaria: Hvad er det disse visne jøder gjør? Skal de ha lov til slikt? Skal de få ofre? Skal tro de vil få fullført verket idag? Skal tro de vil blåse liv i stenene fra grushaugene enda de alt er forbrent?

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

  • 1 Corinthians 1:27

    But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong.

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  • Ezra 4:9–10

    From Rehum the commander, Shimshai the scribe, and the rest of their associates—the judges and officials over Tripolis, Persia, Erech and Babylon, the Elamites of Susa,

    Read in context

  • Nehemiah 4:10

    Meanwhile, the people of Judah said: “The strength of the laborer fails, and there is so much rubble that we will never be able to rebuild the wall.”

    Read in context

  • Zechariah 12:8

    On that day the LORD will defend the people of Jerusalem, so that the weakest among them will be like David, and the house of David will be like God, like the angel of the LORD going before them.

    Read in context

  • 1 Samuel 17:43–44

    “Am I a dog,” he said to David, “that you come at me with sticks?” And the Philistine cursed David by his gods.

    Read in context

  • Ezekiel 37:3–13

    Then He asked me, “Son of man, can these bones come to life?” “O Lord GOD,” I replied, “only You know.”

    Read in context

  • Nehemiah 12:43

    On that day they offered great sacrifices, rejoicing because God had given them great joy. The women and children also rejoiced, so that the joy of Jerusalem was heard from afar.

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  • 1 Samuel 14:11–12

    So the two of them showed themselves to the outpost of the Philistines, who exclaimed, “Look, the Hebrews are coming out of the holes in which they were hiding!”

    Read in context