Opposition to the work forms and God’s people are frightened, so they pray and prepare for battle while they work.

• How did God’s people respond to resistance?
• Note Nehemiah’s prayer in verses 4–5. This is called an imprecatory prayer, which means to curse. We might recoil at this (it’s not exactly turning the other cheek), but the situation was different. To attack God’s people was to attack God. This wasn’t personal revenge, it letting God take care of His enemies.
• As you read verses 13–23, how did they respond to threats and do the work?