Rashi
Jewish
1040–1105
“over them over the builders. because of them because of the enemies.”
The interpretation timeline
Neh 4:3
How this passage has been read — the sources, oldest to newest.
From the early Church Fathers to now.
1 Jewish · 2 Reformed · 1 Catholic · 1 Lutheran
Neh 4:3 · Douay-Rheims
“Tobias also the Ammonite who was by him said: Let them build: if a fox go up, he will leap over their stone wall.”
Scholastic
c. 1100 – 1500
1105
A.D.
666 years pass — nothing from this stretch is hosted yet
Post-Reformation
c. 1650 – 1900
1771
A.D.
John Gill
Reformed
1697–1771
“Now Tobiah the Ammonite was by him,.... Who was one of his brethren he spake before, Neh 4:2, and he said; in the like contemptuous and scoffing manner: even that which they build, if a fox go up, he shall break down their stone wall; signifying not only that it was so low that a fox could easily get up to it, or leap over it; but that the materials were so bad, and the work so poorly done, that the weight of a fox would break it down; of which creatures many were thereabout, since Jerusalem was desolate, see Lam 5:18.”
1849
A.D.
George Leo Haydock
Catholic
1774–1849
“Leap over. Hebrew, Septuagint, &c., “break down.” (Calmet) — Bitter sarcasm, which excites the indignation of Nehemias! (Tirinus)”
1871
A.D.
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown
Reformed
1871
“if a fox go up--The foxes were mentioned because they were known to infest in great numbers the ruined and desolate places in the mount and city of Zion (Lam 5:18).”
1875
A.D.
Keil & Delitzsch
Lutheran
1861–1875
“Tobiah the Ammonite, standing near Sanballat, and joining in in his raillery, adds: "Even that which they build, if a fox go up he will break their stone wall;" i.e., even if they build up walls, the light footsteps of the stealthy fox will suffice to tread them down, and to make breaches in their work.”
Modern · 1953 →
The in-app commentary runs from the Fathers to the early-modern record, then stops — that's where the public-domain sources end, not where the reading does. For the modern reading, follow the sources directly.