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

Now it came about that when Sanballat heard that we were rebuilding the wall, he became furious and very angry and mocked the Jews.

2 A nd he spake before his brethren and the army of Samaria, and said, What are these feeble Jews doing? 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 rubbish, seeing they are burned?

He spoke in the presence of his brothers and the wealthy men of Samaria and said, “What are these feeble Jews doing? Are they going to restore it for themselves? Can they offer sacrifices? Can they finish in a day? Can they revive the stones from the dusty rubble even the burned ones?”

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

Now Tobiah the Ammonite was near him and he said, “Even what they are building— if a fox should jump on it, he would break their stone wall down!”

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

Hear, O our God, how we are despised! Return their reproach on their own heads and give them up for plunder in a land of captivity.

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 iniquity and let not their sin be blotted out before You, for they have demoralized the builders.

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

So 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 repairing of the walls of Jerusalem went forward, and that the breaches began to be stopped, then they were very wroth;

Now when Sanballat, Tobiah, the Arabs, the Ammonites and the Ashdodites heard that the repair of the walls of Jerusalem went on, and that the breaches began to be closed, they were very angry.

8 a nd they conspired all of them together to come and fight against Jerusalem, and to cause confusion therein.

All of them conspired together to come and fight against Jerusalem and to cause a disturbance in it. Discouragement Overcome

9 B ut 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, and because of them we set up a guard against 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.

Thus in Judah it was said, “The strength of the burden bearers is failing, Yet there is much rubbish; And we ourselves are unable To rebuild the wall.”

11 A nd our adversaries said, They shall not know, neither see, till we come into the midst of them, and slay them, and cause the work to cease.

Our enemies said, “They will not know or see until we come among them, kill them and put a stop to the work.”

12 A nd it came to pass that, when the Jews that dwelt by them came, they said unto us ten times from all places, Ye must return unto us.

When the Jews who lived near them came and told us ten times, “ They will come up against us from every place where you may turn,”

13 T herefore set I in the lowest parts of the space behind the wall, in the open places, I set there the people after their families with their swords, their spears, and their bows.

then I stationed men in the lowest parts of the space behind the wall, the exposed places, and I stationed the people in 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, who 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 rose and spoke to the nobles, the officials and the rest of the people: “ Do not be afraid of them; remember the Lord who is great and awesome, 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 our enemies heard that it was known to us, and that God had frustrated their plan, then all of us returned to the wall, each one to his work.

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

From that day on, half of my servants carried on the work while half of them held the spears, the shields, the bows and the breastplates; and the captains were behind the whole house of Judah.

17 T hey all builded the wall and they that bare burdens laded themselves; every one with one of his hands wrought in the work, and with the other held his weapon;

Those who were rebuilding the wall and those who carried burdens took their load with one hand doing the work and the other holding a weapon.

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

As for the builders, each wore his sword girded at his side as he built, while the trumpeter stood near 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 nobles, the officials and the rest of the people, “The work is great and extensive, and we are separated on the wall far from one another.

20 i n what place soever ye hear the sound of the trumpet, resort ye thither unto us; our God will fight for us.

At whatever place you hear the sound of the trumpet, rally to us there. Our God will fight for us.”

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

So we carried on the work with half of them holding spears from dawn until the stars appeared.

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 may labor in the day.

At that time I also said to the people, “Let each man with his servant spend the night within Jerusalem so that they may be a guard for us by night and a laborer by day.”

23 S o neither I, nor my brethren, nor my servants, nor the men of the guard that followed me, none of us put off our clothes, every one went with his weapon to the water.

So neither I, my brothers, my servants, nor the men of the guard who followed me, none of us removed our clothes, each took his weapon even to the water.