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.

And it cometh to pass, when Sanballat hath heard that we are building the wall, that it is displeasing to him, and he is very angry and mocketh at 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 saith before his brethren and the force of Samaria, yea, he saith, `What the weak Jews doing? are they left to themselves? do they sacrifice? do they complete in a day? do they revive the stones out of the heaps of the rubbish? -- and they burnt!'

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!”

And Tobiah the Ammonite by him and saith, `Also, that which they are building -- if a fox doth go up, then it hath broken 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 have been despised; and turn back their reproach on their own head, and give them for a spoil in 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.

and do not cover over their iniquity, and their sin from before Thee let not be blotted out, for they have provoked to anger -- over-against those building.

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.

And we build the wall, and all the wall is joined -- unto its half, and the people have a heart 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.

And it cometh to pass, when Sanballat hath heard, and Tobiah, and the Arabians, and the Ammonites, and the Ashdodites, that lengthening hath gone up to the walls of Jerusalem, that the breeches have begun to be stopped, then it is very displeasing to them,

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

and they conspire, all of them together, to come in to fight against Jerusalem, and to do to it injury.

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

And we pray unto our God, and appoint a watch against them, by day and by night, because of them.

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.”

And Judah saith, `The power of the burden-bearers hath become feeble, and the rubbish abundant, and we are not able to build on 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 say, `They do not know, nor see, till that we come in to their midst, and have slain them, and caused 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,”

And it cometh to pass, when the Jews have come who are dwelling near them, that they say to us ten times from all the places whither ye return -- against 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.

And I appoint at the lowest of the places, at the back of the wall, in the clear places, yea, I appoint the people, by 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 see, and rise up, and say unto the freemen, and unto the prefects, and unto the rest of the people, `Be not afraid of them; the Lord, the great and the fearful, remember ye, and fight for your brethren, your sons, and 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 cometh to pass, when our enemies have heard that it hath been known to us, and God doth frustrate their counsel, and we turn back, all of us, unto the wall, each unto 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.

yea, it cometh to pass, from that day, half of my servants are working in the business, and half of them are keeping hold of both the spears, the shields, and the bows, and the coats of mail; and the heads 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.

The builders on the wall, and the bearers of the burden, those lading, with one of his hands is working in the business, and one is laying hold of the missile.

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

And the builders each with his sword, girded on his loins, and building, and he who is blowing with a trumpet 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.

And I say unto the freemen, and unto the prefects, and unto the rest of the people, `The work is abundant, and large, and we are separated on the wall, far off one from another;

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

in the place that ye hear the voice of the trumpet thither ye are gathered unto us; our God doth fight for us.'

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

And we are working in the business, and half of them are keeping hold of the spears, from the going up of the dawn till the coming forth of the stars.

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.”

Also, at that time I said to the people, `Let each with his servant lodge in the midst of Jerusalem, and they have been to us by night a guard, and by day the work:'

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.

and there are none -- I and my brethren and my servants, the men of the guard who after me -- there are none of us putting off our garments, each his vessel of water.