Nehemiah 2:19
Ver. 19. But when Sanballat the Horonite, and Tobiah the servant, the Ammonite, and Geshem the Arabian,.... This third man might be both an Arabian by birth, and governor of some part of Arabia near Judea:
heard it; of their beginning to build:
they laughed us to scorn, and despised us; as very silly people, that undertook what they could never perform: and said; adding threatenings to their scoffs:what is this thing that ye do? do ye know what ye are about? have ye any authority to do it? it is unlawful, you will certainly suffer for it:will ye rebel against the king? the king of Persia; it will be deemed rebellion and treason, and you will be taken up and treated as rebels and traitors; take care what you do, be it at your peril if you proceed. Nehemiah 2:20Ver. 20. Then answered I them, and said unto them,.... With much spirit and boldness, not at all intimidated by their scoffs or threats:the God of heaven, he will prosper us; whom we serve, and under whose protection we are, who will supply us with everything we want, and succeed this undertaking, in whose name we engage in it, and on whom we depend, and we care not what man can do to us:therefore we his servants will arise and build; in spite of all opposition, difficulties, and discouragements:but you have no portion, nor right, nor memorial in Jerusalem; no part of the city belonged to them; they had no jurisdiction there; they had no name there, nor their ancestors, in times past; nor had they done anything to perpetuate their memory in it: in short, they had nothing to do with them, neither in religious nor in civil things; and it was best for them to mind their own affairs where they presided, and not trouble themselves about theirs.
John Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible.