He asks God to turn back their taunts on their own heads and give them up to be plundered in a land where they are captives.
This prayer is in line with God’s promise in Genesis 12:3. Nehemiah understands that God’s people are too dear to him to permit his people to be despised without punishment. He knows too that God is jealous for his own reputation and so demonstrates to those who blaspheme him that they cannot curse him with impunity. Since God has promised to execute justice himself, he joins several psalmists in praying for God to curse the wrongdoer (for example, Psalm 5:1–12; Psalm 35:1–28; Psalm 58:1–11; Psalm 69:1–36; Psalm 109:1–31).
4 Hear, O our God, for we are despised. Turn back their taunt on their own heads and give them up to be plundered in a land where they are captives.