But it came to pass, [that] when Sanballat, and Tobiah, and the Arabians, and the Ammonites, and the Ashdodites, heard that the walls of Jerusalem were made up, [and] that the breaches began to be stopped, then they were very wroth,
Ver. 7. And the Arabians' and the Ammonites] A rabble of malignants meet and make head. Sanballat, by the help of Tobiah, had now gotten a great band of soldiers, and specially of Arabians, Ammonites, and Ashdodites, to fight for him against this feeble folk, but yet armed with God, and that had him for their champion. So we may see how readily one wicked man will be drawn to help another; and how the wickedness of one will infect another that will give ear to it. Read Psalms 83:6,8 Revelation 16:16,17, &c.
Heard that the walls of Jerusalem were made up] Heb. That health (or as the old translation hath it, a salve) ascended upon the walls. A metaphor from surgeons, who when they heal wounds by salves or plasters, join the flesh together again which before was cut in sunder: so the breaches of the walls, which afore lay gaping open, were joined together, and made sound, as though it were one entire wall, et quasi tota moles in tantam magnitudinem ex unico ingenti lapide tam magnifice consurgeret.
Then they were very wroth] That old enmity, Genesis 3:15, stirred in them, and they were soon kindled; Satan being the boute-feu, or kindle coal. See Nehemiah 4:1 .