And cover not their iniquity, and let not their sin be blotted out from before thee: for they have provoked thee to anger before the builders.
Don't cover up their wrongdoing, and don't let their sin be erased from your sight, because they have made you angry in front of the builders.
Nehemiah is asking God not to forgive his enemies because they have openly mocked God's work in front of his people.
📚 Historical Context
In the book of Nehemiah, the Jewish people were rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem after returning from exile in Babylon, a time of great vulnerability and external threats. Enemies like Sanballat and Tobiah mocked the workers and plotted attacks to stop the project, seeing it as a challenge to their influence. In this verse, Nehemiah prays boldly to God, asking that the sins of these opponents not be forgiven, as they had directly provoked God in the presence of the builders.
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