1 W hen 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.

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 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?”

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 T obiah the Ammonite was near him and said, “If a fox would jump on what they build, 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 hated! Return their shame on their own heads. Let them be taken as servants to a strange land.

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 sin. Do not let their sin be covered from Your eyes. For they have made much fun of 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 B ut 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 W hen 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.

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

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

9 B ut we prayed to our God because of them. And we had men watching for 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 S o 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.”

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 T hose who hated us said, “They will not know it or see us until we are among them, kill them, and stop 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 by them came, they told us ten times, “They will come up against us from all the places where they live.”

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 S o 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.

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 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.”

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 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.

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 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.

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 building the wall and those who carried loads did their work with one hand, and held something to fight with in the other hand.

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 E ach builder wore his sword at his side as he built. The man who blew the horn stood beside 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 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.

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 I n whatever place you hear the sound of the horn, gather together 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 did the work with half of them holding spears from sunrise until the stars came out.

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 every man and his servant spend the night within Jerusalem so they may watch for us during the night and work during the 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 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.

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.