Nehemiah 4

1 Now it happened that, when Sanballat had heard that we were building the wall, he was very angry. And having been moved exceedingly, he ridiculed the Jews.

But it came to pass, that when Sanballat heard that we were building the wall, he was angry, and felt great indignation, and mocked the Jews.

2 And he said, before his brothers and a crowd of the Samaritans: “What are the foolish Jews doing? Can it be that the Gentiles will allow them? Will they sacrifice and finish in one day? Do they have the ability to make stones out of piles of dust that have been burned up?”

And he spoke before his brethren and the army of Samaria, and said, What do these feeble Jews? will they fortify themselves? will they sacrifice? will they finish in a day? will they revive the stones out of the heaps of the rubbish which are burned?

3 Then too, Tobiah, an Ammonite, his assistant, said: “Let them build. When the fox climbs, he will leap over their stone wall.”

Now Tobiah the Ammonite was by him, and he said, Even that which they build, if a fox should go up, he would even break down their stone wall.

4 Listen, O our God, for we have become an object of contempt. Turn their reproach upon their own head, and grant that they may be despised in a land of captivity.

Hear, O our God; for we are despised: and turn their reproach upon their own head, and give them for a spoil in the land of captivity:

5 May you not conceal their iniquity, and may their sin not be wiped away, before your face, for they have ridiculed those who are building.

And cover not their iniquity, and let not their sin be blotted out from before thee: for they have provoked thee to anger before the builders.

6 And so we built the wall, and we joined it together, even to the unfinished portion. And the heart of the people was stirred up for the work.

So we built the wall; and all the wall was joined together to the half of it: for the people had a mind to work.

7 Now it happened that, when Sanballat, and Tobiah, and the Arabs, and the Ammonites, and the Ashdodites had heard that the walls of Jerusalem had been closed, and that the breaches had begun to be repaired, they were exceedingly angry.

But it came to pass, when Sanballat, and Tobiah, and the Arabians, and the Ammonites, and the Ashdodites, heard that the walls of Jerusalem were set up, and that the breaches began to be closed, then they were very angry,

8 And they all gathered together, so that they might go forth and fight against Jerusalem, and so that they might prepare ambushes.

And conspired all of them together to come and to fight against Jerusalem, and to hinder it.

9 And we prayed to our God, and we stationed guards upon the wall, day and night, against them.

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

10 Then Judah said: “The strength of those who carry has diminished, and the amount of material is very great, and so we will not be able to build the wall.”

And Judah said, The strength of the bearers of burdens is failing, and there is much rubbish; so that we are not able to build the wall.

11 And our enemies said: “Let them neither know, nor realize, until we arrive in their midst, and kill them, and cause the work to cease.”

And our adversaries said, They shall not know, neither see, till we come in the midst among them, and slay them, and cause the work to cease.

12 Now it happened that, on ten occasions, some Jews arrived who were living near them, from all the places from which they came to us, and they told us this.

And it came to pass, that when the Jews who dwelt by them came, they said to us ten times, From all places where ye shall return to us they will be upon you.

13 So I stationed the people in order, in places behind the wall, all around it, with their swords, and lances, and bows.

Therefore I set in the lower places behind the wall, and on the higher places, I even set the people according to their families with their swords, their spears, and their bows.

14 And I gazed around, and I rose up. And I said to the nobles, and to the magistrates, and to the rest of the common people: “Do not be afraid before their face. Remember the great and terrible Lord, and fight on behalf of your brothers, your sons and your daughters, and your wives and your households.”

And I looked, and arose, and said to the nobles, and to the rulers, and to the rest of the people, Be ye not 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.

15 Then it happened that, when our enemies had heard that it had been reported to us, God defeated their counsel. And we all returned to the walls, each one to his own work.

And it came to pass, when our enemies heard that it was known to us, and God had brought their counsel to nought, that we returned all of us to the wall, every one to his work.

16 And it happened that, from that day, half of their young men were doing the work, and half were prepared for war with lances, and shields, and bows, and armor. And the leaders were behind them in all the house of Judah.

And it came to pass from that time forth, that the half of my servants wrought in the work, and the other half of them held both the spears, the shields, and the bows, and the coats of mail; and the rulers were behind all the house of Judah.

17 As for those building the wall, and carrying the burdens, and setting things in place: one of his hands was doing the work, and the other was holding a sword.

They who built on the wall, and they that bore burdens, burdened themselves, every one with one of his hands wrought in the work, and with the other hand held a weapon.

18 For each one of the builders was girded with a sword at the waist. And they were building, and they were sounding a trumpet beside me.

For the builders, every one had his sword girded by his side, and so built. And he that sounded the trumpet was by me.

19 And I said to the nobles, and to the magistrates, and to the rest of the common people: “The work is great and wide, and we are separated on the wall far from one another.

And I said to the nobles, 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.

20 At whatever place you hear the sound of the trumpet, rush to that place for us. Our God will fight on our behalf.

In what place therefore ye hear the sound of the trumpet, resort ye there to us: our God shall fight for us.

21 And so let us accomplish the work. And let one half part of us hold spears, from the ascent of dawn until the stars come out.”

So we laboured in the work: and half of them held the spears from the rising of the morning till the stars appeared.

22 Also at that time, I said to the people: “Let each one with his servant remain in the midst of Jerusalem. And let us take turns, throughout the night and day, in doing the work.”

Likewise at the same time said I to the people, Let every one with his servant lodge within Jerusalem, that in the night they may be a guard to us, and labour in the day.

23 But I and my brothers, and my servants, and the guards who were behind me, we did not take off our clothes; each one only removed his clothes to wash.

So neither I, nor my brethren, nor my servants, nor the men of the guard who followed me, none of us put off our clothes, except that every one put them off for washing.