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

But it so happened, when Sanballat heard that we were rebuilding the wall, that he was furious and very indignant, and mocked the Jews.

2 H e 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?”

And he spoke before his brethren and the army of Samaria, and said, “What are these feeble Jews doing? Will they fortify themselves? Will they offer sacrifices? Will they complete it in a day? Will they revive the stones from the heaps of rubbish— stones that are burned?”

3 N ow 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!”

Now Tobiah the Ammonite was beside him, and he said, “Whatever they build, if even a fox goes up on it, he will break down their stone wall.”

4 H ear, 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.

Hear, O our God, for we are despised; turn their reproach on their own heads, and give them as plunder to a land of captivity!

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

Do not cover their iniquity, and do not let their sin be blotted out from before You; for they have provoked You to anger before the builders.

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

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

7 N ow 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.

Now it happened, when Sanballat, Tobiah, the Arabs, the Ammonites, and the Ashdodites heard that the walls of Jerusalem were being restored and the gaps were beginning to be closed, that they became very angry,

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

and all of them conspired together to come and attack Jerusalem and create confusion.

9 B ut we prayed to our God, and because of them we set up a guard against them day and night.

Nevertheless we made our prayer to our God, and because of them we set a watch against them day and night.

10 T hus 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.”

Then Judah said, “The strength of the laborers is failing, and there is so much rubbish that we are not able to build the wall.”

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

And our adversaries said, “They will neither know nor see anything, till we come into their midst and kill them and cause the work to cease.”

12 W hen 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,”

So it was, when the Jews who dwelt near them came, that they told us ten times, “From whatever place you turn, they will be upon us.”

13 t hen 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.

Therefore I positioned men behind the lower parts of the wall, at the openings; and I set the people according to their families, with their swords, their spears, and their bows.

14 W hen 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.”

And I looked, and arose and said to the nobles, to the leaders, and to the rest of the people, “Do not be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, great and awesome, and fight for your brethren, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your houses.”

15 W hen 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.

And it happened, when our enemies heard that it was known to us, and that God had brought their plot to nothing, that all of us returned to the wall, everyone to his work.

16 F rom 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.

So it was, from that time on, that half of my servants worked at construction, while the other half held the spears, the shields, the bows, and wore armor; and the leaders were behind all the house of Judah.

17 T hose 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.

Those who built on the wall, and those who carried burdens, loaded themselves so that with one hand they worked at construction, and with the other held a weapon.

18 A s for the builders, each wore his sword girded at his side as he built, while the trumpeter stood near me.

Every one of the builders had his sword girded at his side as he built. And the one who sounded the trumpet was beside me.

19 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.

Then I said to the nobles, the rulers, and the rest of the people, “The work is great and extensive, and we are separated far from one another on the wall.

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

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

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

So we labored in the work, and half of the men held the spears from daybreak until the stars appeared.

22 A t 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.”

At the same time I also said to the people, “Let each man and his servant stay at night in Jerusalem, that they may be our guard by night and a working party by day.”

23 S o 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.

So neither I, my brethren, my servants, nor the men of the guard who followed me took off our clothes, except that everyone took them off for washing.