It seemed to [Sanballat and Tobiah] something very bad that [Nehemiah] had come to seek something good for the sons of Israel.—Neh. 2:10.
Nehemiah served at the court of King Artaxerxes of Persia. Although Nehemiah lived among unbelievers, he did not become “fashioned after” the “system of things” of those days. (Rom. 12:2) When a need arose in Judah, he sacrificed his comfortable lifestyle, made the arduous journey to Jerusalem, and took on the huge task of rebuilding the city wall. (Rom. 12:1) Even though he was governor of Jerusalem, Nehemiah daily toiled alongside his fellow Israelites “from the ascending of the dawn until the stars came out.” As a result, within only two months, the project was completed! (Neh. 4:21; 6:15) That was an amazing feat, for during the construction work, the Israelites faced various forms of opposition. The main opposers were Sanballat, Tobiah, and Geshem, who were bent on stopping Nehemiah’s building plans. w07 7/1 2:3, 4
