"Hear, O our God; for we are despised: and turn their reproach upon their own head, and give them for a prey in the land …" — Nehemiah 4:4

Nehemiah 4:4 · KJV

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

— Nehemiah 4:4

Verse 3

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

Verse 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.

Nehemiah 4 — Context

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? {fortify...: Heb. leave to themselves}

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

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

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.

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

Cross References

Psalms 79:12

And render unto our neighbours sevenfold into their bosom their reproach, wherewith they have reproached thee, O Lord.

Psalms 123:3-4

Have mercy upon us, O LORD, have mercy upon us: for we are exceedingly filled with contempt.

Proverbs 3:34

Surely he scorneth the scorners: but he giveth grace unto the lowly.

Hosea 12:14

Ephraim provoked {him} to anger most bitterly: therefore shall he leave his blood upon him, and his reproach shall his Lord return unto him. {most...: Heb. with bitternesses} {blood: Heb. bloods}

1 Samuel 17:26

And David spake to the men that stood by him, saying, What shall be done to the man that killeth this Philistine, and taketh away the reproach from Israel? for who {is} this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?