Nehemiah 4:11
And our adversaries said, They shall not know, neither see, till we come in the midst among them, and slay them, and cause the work to cease. And our adversaries said, They shall not know, neither see, till we come in the midst among them, and slay them, and cause the work to cease.
This verse belongs to the account of the neighboring leaders who opposed the rebuilding of Jerusalem's walls and who tried to thwart Nehemiah's plans and hinder the work. It records their plan to come unseen into the midst of the builders, to kill them in a sudden surprise attack, and thereby to cause the construction to cease.
The enemies were emboldened in making this threat by traitors within the Jewish community. When the threat was reported, it frightened and discouraged the workers. The threat shows how opposition that begins with contempt and ridicule can turn to violence when an opportunity arises.