² before his colleagues and the powerful men^[a] of Samaria,^(A) and said, “What are these pathetic Jews doing? Can they restore it by themselves? Will they offer sacrifices? Will they ever finish it? Can they bring these burnt stones^(B) back to life from the mounds of rubble?”^{(C) 3} Then Tobiah the Ammonite,^(D) who was beside him, said, “Indeed, even if a fox^(E) climbed up what they are building, he would break down their stone wall!”