1Now it came about that when
aSanballat
heard
that we were rebuilding
the wall
, he became
furious
and very
angry
and mocked
the Jews
.
He spoke in the presence
of his brothers
and athe 1wealthy
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 2 bdusty
rubble
even the burned
ones?"
Now Tobiah the Ammonite
was near
him and he said
, "Even
what
they are building
-- aif
a fox
should 1jump
on it, he would break
their stone
wall
down
!"
aHear, O our God
, how
we are despised
! bReturn
their reproach
on their own heads
and give
them up for plunder
in a land
of captivity
.
Do not 1 aforgive their iniquity
and let not their sin
be blotted
out before
You, for they have 2demoralized
the builders
.
So we built the wall
and the whole
wall
was joined
together
to half
its height, for the people
had
a 1mind
to work
.
1Now when Sanballat
, Tobiah
, the Arabs
, the Ammonites
and the Ashdodites
heard
that the 2repair
of the walls
of Jerusalem
went
on, and that the breaches
began
to be closed
, they were very
angry
.
All of them aconspired
together
to come
and fight
against Jerusalem
and to cause
a disturbance
in it.
But we prayed to our God
, and because
of them we aset
up a guard
against
them day
and night
.
Thus 1in Judah it was said
, "The strength
of the burden
bearers
is failing
, Yet there is much
2rubbish
; And we ourselves
are unable
To rebuild
the wall
."
Our enemies said
, "They will not know
or see
until
we come
among
them, kill
them and put
a stop
to the work
."
When the Jews
who lived
near
them came
and told
us ten
times
, " 1They will come up against
us from every
place
where
you may turn
,"
then I stationed men in the lowest
parts
of the space
behind
the wall
, the 1exposed
places
, and I astationed
the people
in families
with their swords
, spears
and bows
.
When I saw their fear, I rose
and spoke
to the nobles
, the officials
and the rest
of the people
: " aDo not be afraid
of them; remember
the Lord
who is great
and awesome
, and bfight
for your brothers
, your sons
, your daughters
, your wives
and your houses
."
When our enemies
heard
that it was known
to us, and that aGod
had frustrated
their plan
, then all
of us returned
to the wall
, each
one
to his work
.
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
.
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
.
As for the builders, each
wore his sword
girded
at his side
as he built
, while 1the trumpeter
stood near
me.
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
.
"At whatever place
you hear
the sound
of the trumpet
, 1rally
to us there
. aOur God
will fight
for us."
So we carried on the work
with half
of them holding
spears
from 1dawn
until
the stars
2appeared
.
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
."
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
.