1 But it came to pass, that when Sanballat heard that we were building the wall, he was angry, and felt great indignation, and mocked the Jews.

2 And he spoke before his brethren and the army of Samaria, and said, What do these feeble Jews? will they fortify themselves? will they sacrifice? will they finish in a day? will they revive the stones out of the heaps of the rubbish which are burned? fortify…: Heb. leave to themselves

3 Now Tobiah the Ammonite was by him, and he said, Even that which they build, if a fox should go up, he would even break down their stone wall.

4 Hear, O our God; for we are despised: and turn their reproach upon their own head, and give them for a spoil in the land of captivity: despised: Heb. despite

5 And cover not their iniquity, and let not their sin be blotted out from before thee: for they have provoked thee to anger before the builders.

6 So we built the wall; and all the wall was joined together to the half of it: for the people had a mind to work.