Nehemiah 4:1–6:16
Sanballat was a Samaritan. “What are these feeble Jews doing?” he mocked. Tobiah, an Ammonite, stood with Sanballat. “Any fox running on that wall would break it down,” he laughed.
The people of Jerusalem rebuilt the wall to half its height. The Arabians and the Ammonites and the Ashdodites were very angry. They didn’t want the city to be strong.
The Jews set guards day and night and continued to work. “Don’t be afraid of them,” said Nehemiah. “Remember the Lord is great and awesome. Fight for your families and homes.”
Sanballat and Tobiah saw they couldn’t attack. So they sent Nehemiah a message: “Come down. Meet us in the valley of Ono.” They wanted to kill Nehemiah there.
“I’m doing a great work,” he replied. “Why should this work stop while I meet with you?”
Finally, fifty-two days after it began, the work was finished. The gates were closed and guards were posted. The enemies around were afraid. They knew that the work had been done with God’s help.
Questions: What did Sanballat and Tobiah want to do in the valley of Ono?