Chapter 3 of Nechemya is a chapter of action: following the decision and the nocturnal survey of the breaches, the actual restoration of the ruins of Jerusalem's wall begins. We are presented with a long succession of names, each person repairing the section entrusted to him, and through collective effort, they rebuild the entirety of Jerusalem's walls. This refers to the outer wall surrounding the city, erected so that the neighboring nations would not be able to enter, invade, and harass the people living here.
וַיָּקָם אֶלְיָשִׁיב הַכֹּהֵן הַגָּדוֹל וְאֶחָיו הַכֹּהֲנִים וַיִּבְנוּ אֶת־שַׁעַר הַצֹּאן הֵמָּה קִדְּשׁוּהוּ וַיַּעֲמִידוּ דַּלְתֹתָיו וְעַד־מִגְדַּל הַמֵּאָה קִדְּשׁוּהוּ עַד מִגְדַּל חֲנַנְאֵל׃ - "Then Elyashiv the Kohen Gadol arose with his brethren the Kohanim, and they built the Sheep Gate; they sanctified it and set up its doors; and up to the Tower of the Hundred they sanctified it, as far as the Tower of Chananel."
Elyashiv the Kohen Gadol and his fellow Kohanim initiate the work. They began at the Sheep Gate, which was situated in the middle of the eastern side, facing the Mount of Olives. From there, they proceeded north, built from north to west, continued along the entire western side, then moved from west to east along the entire southern side, and finally returned once again to the northern side - thus encircling all of Jerusalem with a wall.
And why does it specifically say here, "they sanctified it"? Because this location was directly opposite the House of G-d. The eastern side is very close to the Beit HaMikdash: the Temple Mount itself lies closer to the eastern walls, whereas the city proper - what we refer to today as the Old City within the walls, including the Jewish and Muslim Quarters - extends further to the west. Because they wished to begin from the most sacred place, they started on the eastern side, adjacent to the Beit HaMikdash.
וְעַל־יָדוֹ בָנוּ אַנְשֵׁי יְרֵחוֹ וְעַל־יָדוֹ בָנָה זַכּוּר בֶּן־אִמְרִי׃ - "And next to him built the men of Jericho, and next to him built Zakkur son of Imri."
"Next to him" (al yado) means beside him, adjacent to him. The men of Jericho and Zakkur son of Imri built the section between the Tower of Chananel and the Fish Gate.
וְאֵת שַׁעַר הַדָּגִים בָּנוּ בְּנֵי הַסְּנָאָה הֵמָּה קֵרוּהוּ וַיַּעֲמִידוּ דַּלְתֹתָיו מַנְעוּלָיו וּבְרִיחָיו׃ - "The sons of Hassenaah built the Fish Gate; they laid its beams and set up its doors, its locks, and its bars."
The "sons of Hassenaah" is the name of a family. They "laid its beams" (keiruhu) - that is, they roofed the gateway, as a gate requires a ceiling or covered passageway through which one enters. And what are "its locks and its bars"? The Metzudat David explains their method of barring a gate: rings projected from the door, into which a heavy beam was placed, or a beam recessed inside the wall was slid across to engage those metal rings. Anyone attempting to open the door from the outside could not do so, since the crossbeam rested securely within the interior fixtures, preventing the doors from swinging open. This was called a bar (beri'ach). The bar itself was then locked in place so that it could not be removed - these are "its locks and its bars."
וְעַל־יָדָם הֶחֱזִיק מְרֵמוֹת בֶּן־אוּרִיָּה בֶּן־הַקּוֹץ וְעַל־יָדָם הֶחֱזִיק מְשֻׁלָּם בֶּן־בֶּרֶכְיָה בֶּן־מְשֵׁיזַבְאֵל וְעַל־יָדָם הֶחֱזִיק צָדוֹק בֶּן־בַּעֲנָא׃ - "And next to them Meremoth son of Uriah, son of Hakotz, repaired; and next to them Meshullam son of Berechiah, son of Meshezabel, repaired; and next to them Tzadok son of Baana repaired."
The Malbim notes: In some verses the text writes "built" - such as "and next to him built the men of Jericho," "and next to him built Zakkur son of Imri" - whereas elsewhere it uses the word "repaired" (hechezik). What is the difference? The term hechezik relates to reinforcement and maintenance (chizuk bedek), meaning they strengthened those sections that were merely weakened. However, where someone does not merely reinforce but "builds," it indicates that nothing remained there, and he had to construct it anew from the ground up. Those who "built" worked where the wall was completely demolished; those who "repaired" worked where some of the original wall still stood, needing only reinforcement so that it would endure and be sufficiently strong.
וְעַל־יָדָם הֶחֱזִיקוּ הַתְּקוֹעִים וְאַדִּירֵיהֶם לֹא־הֵבִיאוּ צַוָּרָם בַּעֲבֹדַת אֲדֹנֵיהֶם׃ - Next to them the Tekoites repaired, but their nobles did not bend their necks to the work of their lords.
The Tekoites are named after the place from which they came, Tekoa. "And their nobles" - their wealthy men, who did not assist in the work of Hashem to rebuild the city wall. The Malbim explains this based on what we see in verse 7, that the men of Gibeon and Mizpah were subject to the authority of the governor of the region beyond the river. We already noted the two distinct groups in the previous chapter: the population that had remained in the Land and was never exiled fell under the jurisdiction of the governor of Ever HaNahar (beyond the river), whereas the returnees - those who arrived with Zerubbabel, and later with Ezra and Nechemya - were subject to Jewish leadership, with Zerubbabel serving as their governor. The Malbim explains that the Tekoites, too, had not ascended in the days of Cyrus or Darius, but were already living here beforehand; they were therefore subject to the governor of Ever HaNahar. Hence, "they did not bend their necks to the work of their lords" - because they were independent nobles answerable only to themselves, not subordinate to Zerubbabel, Ezra, or Nechemya, and they did not view them as their masters.
The Malbim offers an alternative explanation as well: the Tekoites may have had an appointed leader who governed them, and he and his men were the ones repairing that particular section. However, there was a faction of nobles among them - men of wealth and influence - who refused to take orders from this leader or submit to his command, choosing instead to break away and build on their own. Evidence for this is found later in the chapter, where the Tekoites indeed appear a second time as builders. Thus, "they did not bend their necks to the work of their lords" means that they refused to place themselves under his authority to build according to his directions, and instead built independently as they saw fit.
וְאֵת שַׁעַר הַיְשָׁנָה הֶחֱזִיקוּ יוֹיָדָע בֶּן־פָּסֵחַ וּמְשֻׁלָּם בֶּן־בְּסוֹדְיָה הֵמָּה קֵרוּהוּ וַיַּעֲמִידוּ דַּלְתֹתָיו וּמַנְעֻלָיו וּבְרִיחָיו׃ - And the Old Gate was repaired by Yoyada the son of Pase'ach and Meshullam the son of Besodeyah; they laid its beams, and set up its doors, its locks, and its bars.
The Old Gate was situated at the northeastern corner, as the repairs proceeded from the east toward the north. The Malbim suggests that this gate was also known as the Corner Gate (Sha'ar HaPinah), where Uzziah built towers in Jerusalem. Towers were customarily erected at corners, as a corner is a position of great strategic importance. We find a similar usage in the language of Tanach: "for to Hashem belong the pillars of the earth," and "corners" (pinot) referring to prominent leaders; "I have cut off nations; their corner towers (pinotam) are desolate" - meaning their prominent towers were ruined; and "The stone that the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone" - the corner being the preeminent place.
וְעַל־יָדָם הֶחֱזִיק מְלַטְיָה הַגִּבְעֹנִי וְיָדוֹן הַמֵּרֹנֹתִי אַנְשֵׁי גִבְעוֹן וְהַמִּצְפָּה לְכִסֵּא פַּחַת עֵבֶר הַנָּהָר׃ - Next to them repaired Melatyah the Gibeonite and Yadon the Meronothite, the men of Gibeon and of Mizpah, belonging to the seat of the governor beyond the river.
"Next to them" - continuing along the line, each section was repaired by another group. And what is meant by "belonging to the seat of the governor beyond the river"? Rashi explains that they constructed a seat there for the governor beyond the river to sit upon - that is, they built a prominent, honorable station along the wall to serve as his throne. The Malbim, however, explains according to what was noted above: Zerubbabel and Nechemya were the governors over the returnees from the later aliyot, whereas those who had remained in Judah from seventy years earlier were subject to the governor of Ever HaNahar. Consequently, the men of Gibeon and Mizpah were not counted among the returnees, and they belonged "to the seat of the governor beyond the river" - not a literal chair, but rather the jurisdiction of the governor across the river, the governing authority to whom they were subordinate.
עַל־יָדוֹ הֶחֱזִיק עֻזִּיאֵל בֶּן־חַרְהֲיָה צוֹרְפִים וְעַל־יָדוֹ הֶחֱזִיק חֲנַנְיָה בֶּן־הָרַקָּחִים וַיַּעַזְבוּ יְרוּשָׁלַ͏ִם עַד הַחוֹמָה הָרְחָבָה׃ - Next to him repaired Uzziel the son of Harhayah, of the goldsmiths, and next to him repaired Hananyah, one of the perfumers; and they fortified Jerusalem as far as the broad wall.
"Next to him," adjoining that section, repaired Uzziel the son of Harhayah, and "goldsmiths" describes their craft. It was common practice for a family to be known by its trade - one was a blacksmith, another a carpenter. Similarly, the surname "Haddad," meaning an ironworker or smith, is very common among Iraqi, Yemenite, and Tunisian Jews, as well as among Arabs - all derived from the occupation. So too here: the family was known as "the goldsmiths" after their craft.
וְעַל־יָדָם הֶחֱזִיק רְפָיָה בֶן־חוּר שַׂר חֲצִי פֶּלֶךְ יְרוּשָׁלָ͏ִם׃ - And next to them repaired Rephayah the son of Hur, the ruler of half the district of Jerusalem.
The word pelech denotes a district and authority, similar to a duchy or realm. He was the ruler over half the district of Jerusalem, and he repaired the next section of the wall.
וְעַל־יָדָם הֶחֱזִיק יְדָיָה בֶן־חֲרוּמַף וְנֶגֶד בֵּיתוֹ וְעַל־יָדוֹ הֶחֱזִיק חַטּוּשׁ בֶּן־חֲשַׁבְנְיָה׃ - Next to them, Yedayah son of Charumaph made repairs, opposite his house; and next to him, Chattush son of Chashavneyah made repairs.
What is meant by "opposite his house"? According to the plain meaning, the section allotted to him happened to be directly in front of his home - and not everyone was so fortunate; some may have had to walk two hours every morning to reach their work site, whereas he worked on the wall right outside his front door. The Malbim, however, explains differently: "opposite his house" indicates that beyond the portion of the wall he was assigned to repair as his civic duty, he also repaired the wall opposite his house. In other words, this was extra - beyond what was required of him, he repaired the section facing his own home as well.
מִדָּה שֵׁנִית הֶחֱזִיק מַלְכִּיָּה בֶן־חָרִם וְחַשּׁוּב בֶּן־פַּחַת מוֹאָב וְאֵת מִגְדַּל הַתַּנּוּרִים׃ - Malkiyah son of Charim and Chashuv son of Pachat-moav repaired a second measure, as well as the Tower of the Ovens.
"A second measure" means that just as his fellow had built a certain measure previously, he built likewise. The Malbim explains that along the side of the city that lacked gates and towers, the wall's length was divided into double measurements: if along a section containing gates each person repaired, say, fifty cubits, then along the side without gates each person repaired twice as much. This is because designing and constructing a gate, along with all the complex labor involved, required vastly more effort than building an ordinary stretch of wall; therefore, those building along the stretches without gates were assigned a double portion.
"The Tower of the Ovens" (Migdal HaTannurim) was the name of a tower located there. As mentioned earlier, there were towers along the walls, both at the corners and along the intermediate spans. After all, the wall was not merely a narrow barrier of cinder blocks; it was wide - as one can see in Jerusalem today, where people walk directly atop the ramparts - and it could easily support full towers built upon it.
וְעַל־יָדוֹ הֶחֱזִיק שַׁלּוּם בֶּן־הַלּוֹחֵשׁ שַׂר חֲצִי פֶּלֶךְ יְרוּשָׁלָ͏ִם הוּא וּבְנוֹתָיו׃ - Next to him repaired Shallum son of Halochesh, ruler of half the district of Jerusalem, he and his daughters.
Shallum and his daughters repaired the next section. And what is meant by "son of Halochesh"? The Malbim explains that the letter heh here is not the definite article ("the"), nor is it a descriptive title; rather, "Halochesh" is his actual proper name. Ibn Ezra, on the other hand, suggests that the heh may indeed be the definite article, making lochesh a title - meaning that this man was a whisperer (an enchanter), and was called by this epithet. The Malbim rejects this, and so we have two differing opinions before us.
אֵת שַׁעַר הַגַּיְא הֶחֱזִיק חָנוּן וְיֹשְׁבֵי זָנוֹחַ הֵמָּה בָנוּהוּ וַיַּעֲמִידוּ דַּלְתֹתָיו מַנְעֻלָיו וּבְרִיחָיו וְאֶלֶף אַמָּה בַּחוֹמָה עַד שַׁעַר הָשְׁפוֹת׃ - Chanun and the inhabitants of Zanoach repaired the Valley Gate; they built it and set up its doors, its locks, and its bars, as well as a thousand cubits of the wall, up to the Dung Gate.
Why does it say concerning the Valley Gate, "they built it" (hemah vanuhu)? According to the principle we learned earlier: the Valley Gate was destroyed to such an extent that it had to be rebuilt entirely from scratch; mere reinforcement was not enough. And from there, they repaired a thousand cubits up to Sha'ar HaShephot, which is the Dung Gate (Sha'ar HaAshpot).
וְאֵת שַׁעַר הָאַשְׁפּוֹת הֶחֱזִיק מַלְכִּיָּה בֶן־רֵכָב שַׂר פֶּלֶךְ בֵּית־הַכָּרֶם הוּא יִבְנֶנּוּ וְיַעֲמִיד דַּלְתֹתָיו מַנְעֻלָיו וּבְרִיחָיו׃ - And the Dung Gate was repaired by Malchiyah son of Rechav, leader of the district of Beit HaKerem; he rebuilt it and set up its doors, its locks, and its bars.
"Leader of the district of Beit HaKerem" - he was the leader over that section of Jerusalem called Beit HaKerem, and he rebuilt the gate and set up its doors, its locks, and its bars. To this day there is a neighborhood named Beit HaKerem in Jerusalem; it is not necessarily the exact same location or named for the same reason, but it is clear that this was one of the neighborhood names that already existed in Jerusalem in the past.
וְאֵת שַׁעַר הָעַיִן הֶחֱזִיק שַׁלּוּן בֶּן־כָּל־חֹזֶה שַׂר פֶּלֶךְ הַמִּצְפָּה הוּא יִבְנֶנּוּ וִיטַלְלֶנּוּ וְיַעֲמִיד דַּלְתֹתָיו מַנְעֻלָיו וּבְרִיחָיו וְאֵת חוֹמַת בְּרֵכַת הַשֶּׁלַח לְגַן־הַמֶּלֶךְ וְעַד־הַמַּעֲלוֹת הַיּוֹרְדוֹת מֵעִיר דָּוִיד׃ - And the Fountain Gate was repaired by Shallun son of Col-Chozeh, leader of the district of Mitzpah; he rebuilt it, roofed it, and set up its doors, its locks, and its bars, along with the wall of the Pool of Shelach by the King's Garden, as far as the stairs that go down from the City of David.
The Malbim explains: The wall from the Valley Gate reached until the Dung Gate, and from there to the Fountain Gate. There, near the eastern side, as they were nearing the completion of the circuit, the Shiloach spring flowed - and to this day it is located on the side closer to the east. The Fortress of David, the City of David, the House of Solomon, and the Milo were all on the slope of Mount Zion on the eastern side, and from there they would descend via stairs through the Valley of Ben Hinnom to the King's Garden and to the pool that was there. The City of David was to the west of the Valley of Ben Hinnom within the wall of Mount Zion, while the garden and the pool were inside the city wall, and there was a bridge between the two walls to cross from one to the other. This is the meaning of "along with the wall of the Pool of Shelach by the King's Garden, as far as the stairs that go down from the City of David."
And what is the meaning of "vayetalelenu"? It denotes roofing and shading, like the Aramaic word "metalelta", which means a sukkah. He roofed over the gate, as well as the wall of the Shiloach pool that sloped toward the King's Garden.
אַחֲרָיו הֶחֱזִיק נְחֶמְיָה בֶן־עַזְבּוּק שַׂר חֲצִי פֶּלֶךְ בֵּית־צוּר עַד־נֶגֶד קִבְרֵי דָוִיד וְעַד־הַבְּרֵכָה הָעֲשׂוּיָה וְעַד בֵּית הַגִּבֹּרִים׃ - After him, Nechemiah son of Azbuk, leader of half the district of Beit-Tzur, repaired as far as opposite the tombs of David, and as far as the constructed pool, and as far as the House of the Warriors.
That is to say, from the tombs of David and the Davidic dynasty onward, as far as the pool that was "constructed" - by human hands, as opposed to a natural body of water; here it refers to an artificial pool built specifically to collect water.
וַיְחַזֵּק עַל־יָדוֹ עֵזֶר בֶּן־יֵשׁוּעַ שַׂר הַמִּצְפָּה מִדָּה שֵׁנִית מִנֶּגֶד עֲלֹת הַנֶּשֶׁק הַמִּקְצֹעַ׃ - Next to him, Ezer son of Yeshua, leader of Mitzpah, repaired a second section opposite the ascent to the armory at the angle.
Before him, the Levites repaired: Rechum son of Bani, and Chashavyah, leader of half the district of Keilah, for his district, and after them their brethren Bavai son of Chenadad, leader of half the district of Keilah. Regarding Ezer son of Yeshua it says "a second section," and the Malbim explains that the wall there was double - known as the "double wall" (chomotayim) - which is why it is called a second section.
אַחֲרָיו הֶחֱזִיק בִּנּוּי בֶּן־חֵנָדָד מִדָּה שֵׁנִית מִבֵּית עֲזַרְיָה עַד־הַמִּקְצוֹעַ וְעַד־הַפִּנָּה׃ - After him, Binnui son of Chenadad repaired a second section from the house of Azaryah as far as the angle and as far as the corner.
"The corner" - as we have explained, this refers to a tower that stood at the corner. Here it already refers to the southeastern corner: we set out from the Sheep Gate in the east, near the Tower of Chananel, circled north, west, and south, and now we are at the southeastern corner, where a tower also stood. And so we find in Divrei HaYamim: "and over the towers and over the corners," showing that a corner denotes a tower.
פָּלָל בֶּן־אוּזַי מִנֶּגֶד הַמִּקְצוֹעַ וְהַמִּגְדָּל הַיּוֹצֵא מִבֵּית הַמֶּלֶךְ הָעֶלְיוֹן אֲשֶׁר לַחֲצַר הַמַּטָּרָה אַחֲרָיו פְּדָיָה בֶן־פַּרְעֹשׁ׃ - Palal son of Uzai repaired opposite the angle and the tower projecting from the upper house of the king, by the courtyard of the guard; after him, Pedayah son of Parosh.
"Opposite the angle" - opposite the corner, the angle, and the projecting tower from the upper palace that is by the court of the guard. And what was the court of the guard (chatzar ha-matarah)? The prison. That was where Yirmiyahu the Prophet was held, as we have already learned that they placed him in the court of the guard. And "matarah" is from the language of guarding and keeping watch.
וְהַנְּתִינִים הָיוּ יֹשְׁבִים בָּעֹפֶל עַד נֶגֶד שַׁעַר הַמַּיִם לַמִּזְרָח וְהַמִּגְדָּל הַיּוֹצֵא׃ - The Netinim lived in the Ophel, as far as opposite the Water Gate to the east and the projecting tower.
The Ophel was an elevated area, and that is where the Netinim lived. And who were the Netinim? The Gibeonites, who were designated ("netunim") for the service of the House of Hashem. We have already seen earlier that the Gibeonites also went up, and were part of those who ascended from Babylon to come to the Land of Israel and rebuild the Temple. They were settled in the Ophel in that district, and they repaired the section where they resided.
אַחֲרָיו הֶחֱזִיקוּ הַתְּקֹעִים מִדָּה שֵׁנִית מִנֶּגֶד הַמִּגְדָּל הַגָּדוֹל הַיּוֹצֵא וְעַד חוֹמַת הָעֹפֶל׃ - After them the Tekoites repaired another section, opposite the great projecting tower and as far as the wall of the Ophel.
Here the Tekoites reappear, and from here is the proof we mentioned: those who did not submit themselves to the work of their masters went and built on their own. The Ophel was a special stronghold extending beyond the tower that projected from the king's palace, and there they built their portion of the wall up to the place called the Ophel.
מֵעַל שַׁעַר הַסּוּסִים הֶחֱזִיקוּ הַכֹּהֲנִים אִישׁ לְנֶגֶד בֵּיתוֹ׃ - Above the Horse Gate, the Kohanim repaired, each man opposite his own house.
From the Horse Gate and upward, toward the high ground of the mountain, stood the houses of the Kohanim, and they repaired this area, each man opposite his own house.
אַחֲרָיו הֶחֱזִיק צָדוֹק בֶּן־אִמֵּר נֶגֶד בֵּיתוֹ וְאַחֲרָיו הֶחֱזִיק שְׁמַעְיָה בֶן־שְׁכַנְיָה שֹׁמֵר שַׁעַר הַמִּזְרָח׃ - After them, Tzadok son of Immer repaired opposite his house, and after him, Shemayah son of Shechanyah, keeper of the East Gate, made repairs.
Tzadok was not one of the Kohanim, which is why the verse mentions him on his own: "Tzadok son of Immer opposite his house," as he was not associated with the Kohanim. And after him was Shemayah son of Shechanyah, who was the keeper of the East Gate.
אַחֲרָיו הֶחֱזִיק חֲנַנְיָה בֶן־שֶׁלֶמְיָה וְחָנוּן בֶּן־צָלָף הַשִּׁשִּׁי מִדָּה שֵׁנִי אַחֲרָיו הֶחֱזִיק מְשֻׁלָּם בֶּן־בֶּרֶכְיָה נֶגֶד נִשְׁכָּתוֹ׃ - After him, Chananyah son of Shelemyah, and Chanun the sixth son of Tzalaf, repaired another section; after him, Meshulam son of Berechyah repaired opposite his chamber.
"Chanun the sixth son of Tzalaf" - Rashi explains that Tzalaf had many sons, and Chanun was his sixth son. "Middah sheni" means a second section. And "opposite his chamber (nishkato)" - "nishkah" is like "lishkah," meaning that his chamber was located there.
אַחֲרָיו הֶחֱזִיק מַלְכִּיָּה בֶּן־הַצֹּרְפִי עַד־בֵּית הַנְּתִינִים וְהָרֹכְלִים נֶגֶד שַׁעַר הַמִּפְקָד וְעַד עֲלִיַּת הַפִּנָּה׃ וּבֵין עֲלִיַּת הַפִּנָּה לְשַׁעַר הַצֹּאן הֶחֱזִיקוּ הַצֹּרְפִים וְהָרֹכְלִים׃ - After him, Malkiyah, one of the goldsmiths, repaired as far as the house of the Netinim and the merchants, opposite the Gate of the Muster, and as far as the upper chamber of the corner. And between the upper chamber of the corner and the Sheep Gate, the goldsmiths and the merchants made repairs.
"The goldsmith" - Rashi explains that he was called this after his craft, as he was a goldsmith. And the goldsmiths and merchants, those who sold goods, repaired from there onward, all the way to the Sheep Gate - and thus the perimeter was closed at the very place where it began.
וַיְהִי כַּאֲשֶׁר שָׁמַע סַנְבַלַּט כִּי־אֲנַחְנוּ בוֹנִים אֶת־הַחוֹמָה וַיִּחַר לוֹ וַיִּכְעַס הַרְבֵּה וַיַּלְעֵג עַל־הַיְּהוּדִים׃ - And it came to pass, when Sanballat heard that we were building the wall, that he was filled with indignation, and was very angry, and mocked the Jews.
"He was filled with indignation (vayichar lo)" - when something is displeasing in a person's eyes, the expression of burning indignation (charon) is used, as Chazal say regarding "and David was angry (vayichar le-David)" - his face changed color like a charred loaf (chararah). What is the difference between charon (indignation) and ka'as (anger)? The Malbim explains: charon is always internal, while ka'as is external. It is like a pressure cooker: at first it grows intensely hot inside - that is charon; and afterward you hear the pot releasing all its steam outward - that is ka'as. Anger is whatever stewed inside that now bursts outward, an external action. And here there is a third stage: mockery.
וַיֹּאמֶר לִפְנֵי אֶחָיו וְחֵיל שֹׁמְרוֹן וַיֹּאמֶר מָה הַיְּהוּדִים הָאֲמֵלָלִים עֹשִׂים הֲיַעַזְבוּ לָהֶם הֲיִזְבָּחוּ הַיְכַלּוּ בַיּוֹם הַיְחַיּוּ אֶת־הָאֲבָנִים מֵעֲרֵמוֹת הֶעָפָר וְהֵמָּה שְׂרוּפוֹת׃ - And he spoke before his brethren and the army of Samaria, and said: What are these feeble Jews doing? Will they fortify for themselves? Will they sacrifice? Will they finish in a day? Will they revive the stones out of the heaps of rubbish, seeing they are burned?
Sanballat knew how to scoff with poetic eloquence. He was a gentile, and he came to persecute them. He said before his brethren and the army of Samaria: What are these miserable Jews doing? Umlal means weak and feeble - what are these frail Jews doing? "Will they fortify for themselves (haye'azvu lahem)" - related to ma'aziva, the plaster or concrete poured over a ceiling to keep the rain out; meaning, will they truly manage to plaster and reinforce the wall with mortar and coating? "Will they sacrifice? Will they finish in a day?" - do they think they will offer sacrifices, and in that merit a miracle will occur and they will finish everything in a single day? "Will they revive the stones out of the heaps of rubbish, seeing they are burned?" - will a miracle be performed for them to revive stones that are already as good as dead, buried in mounds of dust and burned? He speaks poetically of a dead stone, meaning that these stones are no longer fit for construction. All of his words were intended to break their spirit and instill faint-heartedness and discouragement in their hearts.
וְטוֹבִיָּה הָעַמֹּנִי אֶצְלוֹ וַיֹּאמֶר גַּם אֲשֶׁר־הֵם בּוֹנִים אִם־יַעֲלֶה שׁוּעָל וּפָרַץ חוֹמַת אַבְנֵיהֶם׃ - Now Tobiah the Ammonite was by him, and he said: Even that which they are building, if a fox climbs upon it, he will breach their stone wall!
And he had a supporting voice: Tobiah the Ammonite, Sanballat's ally, who stood beside him and added: Look at what they are building - even if a fox climbs upon it, it will breach their stone wall! The Malbim explains that it is the nature of foxes to make breaches among ruins, as it is written, "Like foxes among the ruins have your prophets been."
שְׁמַע אֱלֹהֵינוּ כִּי־הָיִינוּ בוּזָה וְהָשֵׁב חֶרְפָּתָם אֶל־רֹאשָׁם וּתְנֵם לְבִזָּה בְּאֶרֶץ שִׁבְיָה׃ וְאַל־תְּכַס עַל־עֲוֺנָם וְחַטָּאתָם מִלְּפָנֶיךָ אַל־תִּמָּחֶה כִּי הִכְעִיסוּ לְנֶגֶד הַבּוֹנִים׃ - Hear, O our God, for we are despised; and turn their reproach back upon their own head, and give them up as plunder in a land of captivity. And do not cover their iniquity, and let not their sin be blotted out from before You; for they have provoked You to anger before the builders.
When Nechemyah heard the ridicule they heaped upon us, he prayed: Master of the Universe, hear, O our God, for we are despised, and turn their reproach back upon their own head, let them be punished for having reproached us, and repay them for it. "And give them up as plunder in a land of captivity" - let their punishment be measure for measure, that they themselves become plunder in a captive land. "And do not cover their iniquity, and let not their sin be blotted out from before You" - may their sin forever remain written before Your eyes as an eternal reminder, so that it is never covered over, blotted out, or forgotten, but that You always remember the evil they did to us.
וַנִּבְנֶה אֶת־הַחוֹמָה וַתִּקָּשֵׁר כָּל־הַחוֹמָה עַד־חֶצְיָהּ וַיְהִי לֵב לָעָם לַעֲשׂוֹת׃ - "So we built the wall, and the entire wall was joined together up to half its height, for the people had a heart to work."
We built the wall, and when the entire wall was joined together up to half its height - when we reached the halfway mark and the people saw how much they had progressed and succeeded - it filled them with great encouragement and high spirits. Therefore, "the people had a heart to work": while at first the work had been done with difficulty, strain, and perhaps even reluctance, once they saw half the wall already built, such great joy filled them that they continued and built everything with tremendous enthusiasm.
The chapter enumerates the builders of the wall by name, each person and his designated section: some rebuilt anew where it had been completely destroyed, while others reinforced the breaches in the wall that remained; some built a single measure, while others built a second, double section where there were no gates or towers. Alongside those united in the work, there were also the nobles of the Tekoites who would not bend their necks to the labor of their master, while others went beyond their obligation and built opposite their own homes as well. On the other side stood Sanballat and Toviyah in fury, anger, and mockery, attempting to demoralize the builders - and Nechemya responded with prayer. Ultimately, when the people saw half the wall standing, the hardship turned into enthusiasm: "for the people had a heart to work."