1 ¶ But 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.

But when Sanballat heard that we were building the wall, he was angry and in a great rage, and he ridiculed the Jews.

2 A nd he spoke before his brethren and the army of Samaria and said, What are these feeble Jews doing? Is this to be permitted them? Will they sacrifice? Will they finish on time? Will they resurrect the stones out of the heaps of the rubbish which were burned?

And 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?

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

Now 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.

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 their captivity.

Hear, 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.

5 A nd do not cover their iniquity, nor let their sin be blotted out from before thee, for they have become angry against the builders.

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

6 B ut we built the wall, and all the wall was joined together unto the half thereof, for the people were motivated to work.

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

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

But 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.

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

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

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

But because of them we made our prayer to our God and set a watch 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.

And Judah said, The strength of the burden bearers is weakening, and there is much rubbish; we are not able to work on the wall.

11 A nd our adversaries said, They shall not know or see until we come in the midst among them and slay them and cause the work to cease.

And our enemies said, They will not know or see till we come into their midst and kill them and stop the work.

12 B ut it came to pass, that when the Jews who dwelt among them came, they advised us ten times of all the places from which they would come upon us.

And 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.

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

So 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.

14 T hen I looked and rose up and said unto the nobles and to the rulers and to the rest of the people, Do not be 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.

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.

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

And 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.

16 ¶ And it came to pass from that time forth that half of the young men wrought in the work, and the other half of them held spears, shields, bows, and coats of mail; and the princes were behind all the house of Judah.

And 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.

17 T hose that built on the wall and those that bore burdens and those that laded wrought with one hand in the work and with the other held a weapon.

Those 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,

18 F or the builders, each one had his sword girded by his side, and so they built. And he that sounded the shofar was by me.

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

19 A nd I said unto the principals 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.

And 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.

20 I n whatever place that you hear the voice of the shofar, join us there; our God shall fight for us.

In whatever place you hear the sound of the trumpet, rally 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 until the stars appeared.

So we labored at the work while half of them held the spears from dawn until the stars came out.

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

At 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.

23 S o neither I nor my brethren nor my servants nor the men of the guard who followed me, none of us put off our clothes, each one put them off only for washing.

So 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.