1 B ut when Sanballat heard that we were building the wall, he was angry and in a great rage, and he ridiculed 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 said before his brethren and the army of Samaria, What are these feeble Jews doing? Will they restore things ? Will they with sacrifices? Will they finish up in a day? Will they revive the stones out of the heaps of rubbish, seeing they 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 near him, and he said, What they build—if a fox climbs upon it, he will 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. Turn their taunts upon their own heads, and give them for a prey in a land of their 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 C over not their iniquity and let not their sin be blotted out before You, for they have vexed the builders and provoked You.

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 we built the wall, and all was joined together to half its height, for the people had a heart and 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 when Sanballat, Tobiah, the Arabians, Ammonites, and Ashdodites heard that the walls of Jerusalem were going up and that the breaches were being closed, they were very angry.

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 they all plotted together to come and fight against Jerusalem, to injure and cause confusion and failure in it.

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

9 B ut because of them we made our prayer to our God and set a watch against them day and night.

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 burden bearers is weakening, and there is much rubbish; we are not able to work on 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 enemies said, They will not know or see till we come into their midst and kill them and stop the work.

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 when the Jews who lived near them came, they said to us ten times, You must return; from all places where they dwell they will be upon us.

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 S o I set behind the wall in places where it was least protected; I even thus used the people as families with their swords, spears, and 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 I looked and rose up and said to the nobles and officials and the other people, Do not be afraid of the enemy; remember the Lord and imprint Him, great and terrible, and fight for your brethren, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your homes.

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 when our enemies heard that their plot was known to us and that God had frustrated their purpose, we all returned to the wall, everyone to 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 from that time forth, half of my servants worked at the task, and the other half held the spears, shields, bows, and coats of mail; and the leaders stood 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 hose who built the wall and those who bore burdens loaded themselves so that everyone worked with one hand and held a weapon with the other hand,

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 A nd every builder had his sword girded by his side, and so worked. And he who sounded the trumpet was at my side.

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 to the nobles and officials and the rest of the people, The work is great and scattered, and we are separated on 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 whatever place you hear the sound of the trumpet, rally to us there. Our God will 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 labored at the work while half of them held the spears from dawn until the stars came out.

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

22 A t that time also I said to the people, Let everyone with his servant lodge within Jerusalem, that at night they may be a guard to us and a laborer during 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 none of us—I, my kinsmen, my servants, nor the men of the guard who followed me—took off our clothes; each kept his weapon.

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.