The enemy’s opposition to the rebuilding of the city walls received multiple expressions. It began with jeering and derision, as explained in the present paragraph. When mocking did not achieve the intended stoppage, the opposition evolved into aggressive plans to undermine the work and even threats to physically attack the efforts. The next paragraph records those more aggressive plans together with Nehemiah’s responses.
1 Now when Sanballat heard that we were building the wall, he was angry and greatly enraged, and he jeered at the Jews.