1 B ut it came to pass, that when Sanballat heard that we builded the wall, he was wroth, and took great indignation, and mocked the Jews.

When Sanballat heard that we were building the wall again, he became very angry. He was filled with anger and he made fun of the Jews.

2 A nd he spake before his brethren and the army of Samaria, and said, What do these feeble Jews? will they fortify themselves? will they sacrifice? will they make an end in a day? will they revive the stones out of the heaps of the rubbish which are burned?

He said to his brothers and the rich men of Samaria, “What are these weak Jews doing? Are they going to build things again for themselves? Will they give gifts on the altar in worship? Will they finish in a day? Will they get good stones for building from the dust, seeing they are burned?”

3 N ow Tobiah the Ammonite was by him, and he said, Even that which they build, if a fox go up, he shall even break down their stone wall.

Tobiah the Ammonite was near him and said, “If a fox would jump on what they build, he would break their stone wall down!”

4 H ear, O our God; for we are despised: and turn their reproach upon their own head, and give them for a prey in the land of captivity:

Hear, O our God, how we are hated! Return their shame on their own heads. Let them be taken as servants to a strange land.

5 a nd 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.

Do not forgive their sin. Do not let their sin be covered from Your eyes. For they have made much fun of the builders.

6 S o built we the wall; and all the wall was joined together unto the half thereof: for the people had a mind to work.

But we built the wall, and the whole wall was joined together to half its height, for the people had a mind to work.

7 B ut it came to pass, that when Sanballat, and Tobiah, and the Arabians, and the Ammonites, and the Ashdodites, heard that the walls of Jerusalem were made up, and that the breaches began to be stopped, then they were very wroth,

When Sanballat, Tobiah, the Arabs, the Ammonites and the Ashdodites heard that the work of building the walls of Jerusalem went on, and that the broken places began to be closed, they were very angry.

8 a nd conspired all of them together to come and to fight against Jerusalem, and to hinder it.

And all of them made plans together to come and fight against Jerusalem and cause trouble in it.

9 N evertheless we made our prayer unto our God, and set a watch against them day and night, because of them.

But we prayed to our God because of them. And we had men watching for them day and night.

10 A nd Judah said, The strength of the bearers of burdens is decayed, and there is much rubbish; so that we are not able to build the wall.

So in Judah it was said, “Those who carry the loads are becoming weaker, and there is much dust. We are not able to work on the wall.”

11 A nd 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.

Those who hated us said, “They will not know it or see us until we are among them, kill them, and stop the work.”

12 A nd it came to pass, that when the Jews which dwelt by them came, they said unto us ten times, From all places whence ye shall return unto us they will be upon you.

When the Jews who lived by them came, they told us ten times, “They will come up against us from all the places where they live.”

13 T herefore set I in the lower places behind the wall, and on the higher places, I even set the people after their families with their swords, their spears, and their bows.

So I put men in the lowest parts of the places behind the wall, in the open places. I put the people in place by their families with their swords, spears and bows.

14 A nd I looked, and rose up, and said unto the nobles, and to the rulers, and to the rest of the people, Be not ye afraid of them: remember the Lord, which is great and terrible, and fight for your brethren, your sons, and your daughters, your wives, and your houses.

When I saw their fear, I got up and said to the rulers and leaders and the rest of the people, “Do not be afraid of them. Remember the Lord Who is great and honored with fear. And fight for your brothers, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your houses.”

15 A nd it came to pass, when our enemies heard that it was known unto us, and God had brought their counsel to nought, that we returned all of us to the wall, every one unto his work.

When those who hated us heard that it was known to us, and that God had brought trouble to their plan, then all of us returned to the wall. Each one returned to his work.

16 A nd it came to pass from that time forth, that the half of my servants wrought in the work, and the other half of them held both the spears, the shields, and the bows, and the habergeons; and the rulers were behind all the house of Judah.

From that day on, half of my servants did the work while half of them held the spears, battle-coverings, bows, and battle-clothes. And the captains stood behind the whole house of Judah.

17 T hey which builded on the wall, and they that bare burdens, with those that laded, every one with one of his hands wrought in the work, and with the other hand held a weapon.

Those who were building the wall and those who carried loads did their work with one hand, and held something to fight with in the other hand.

18 F or the builders, every one had his sword girded by his side, and so builded. And he that sounded the trumpet was by me.

Each builder wore his sword at his side as he built. The man who blew the horn stood beside me.

19 A nd I said unto the nobles, and to the rulers, and to the rest of the people, The work is great and large, and we are separated upon the wall, one far from another.

I said to the rulers, leaders, and the rest of the people, “There is very much work to do, and we are separated on the wall far from one another.

20 I n what place therefore ye hear the sound of the trumpet, resort ye thither unto us: our God shall fight for us.

In whatever place you hear the sound of the horn, gather together to us there. Our God will fight for us.”

21 S o we laboured in the work: and half of them held the spears from the rising of the morning till the stars appeared.

So we did the work with half of them holding spears from sunrise until the stars came out.

22 L ikewise at the same time said I unto the people, Let every one with his servant lodge within Jerusalem, that in the night they may be a guard to us, and labour on the day.

At that time I also said to the people, “Let every man and his servant spend the night within Jerusalem so they may watch for us during the night and work during the day.”

23 S o neither I, nor my brethren, nor my servants, nor the men of the guard which followed me, none of us put off our clothes, saving that every one put them off for washing.

So none of us, I, my brothers, my servants, or the soldiers who followed me, took off our clothes. Each man kept something to fight with in his hand, even when he went to wash.