Nehemiah 4

1 And it came to pass that when Sanballat heard that we built the wall, he was angry and very indignant, and mocked the Jews.

Now when Sanballat heard that we were rebuilding the wall, he was furious and filled with indignation. He ridiculed the Jews

2 And he spoke before his brethren and the army of Samaria, and said, What do these feeble Jews? shall they be permitted to go on? Will they offer sacrifices? Will they finish in a day? Will they revive the stones out of the heaps of rubbish, when they are burned?

before his associates and the army of Samaria, saying, “What are these feeble Jews doing? Can they restore the wall by themselves? Will they offer sacrifices? Will they complete it in a day? Can they bring these burnt stones back to life from the mounds of rubble?”

3 And Tobijah the Ammonite was by him, and he said, Even that which they build, if a fox went up, it would break down their stone wall. —

Then Tobiah the Ammonite, who was beside him, said, “If even a fox were to climb up on what they are building, it would break down their wall of stones!”

4 Hear, our God, for we are despised, and turn their reproach upon their own head, and give them for a prey in a land of captivity!

Hear us, O God, for we are despised. Turn their scorn back upon their own heads, and let them be taken as plunder to a land of captivity.

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

Do not cover up their iniquity or let their sin be blotted out from Your sight, for they have provoked the builders.

6 But we built the wall; and all the wall was joined together to the half thereof; for the people had a mind to work.

So we rebuilt the wall until all of it was joined together up to half its height, for the people had a mind to work.

7 And it came to pass, when Sanballat, and Tobijah, and the Arabians, and the Ammonites, and the Ashdodites heard that the walls of Jerusalem were being repaired, that the breaches began to be stopped, then they were very wroth,

When Sanballat and Tobiah, together with the Arabs, Ammonites, and Ashdodites, heard that the repair to the walls of Jerusalem was progressing and that the gaps were being closed, they were furious,

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

and all of them conspired to come and fight against Jerusalem and create a hindrance.

9 Then we prayed to our God, and set a watch against them day and night, because of them.

So we prayed to our God and posted a guard against them day and night.

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

Meanwhile, the people of Judah said: “The strength of the laborer fails, and there is so much rubble that we will never be able to rebuild the wall.”

11 And our adversaries said, They shall not know, neither see, till we come into the midst of them and kill them, and put an end to the work.

And our enemies said, “Before they know or see a thing, we will come into their midst, kill them, and put an end to the work.”

12 And it came to pass that when the Jews that dwelt by them came and told us so ten times, from all the places whence they returned to us,

At that time the Jews who lived nearby came and told us ten times over, “Wherever you turn, they will attack us.”

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

So I stationed men behind the lowest sections of the wall, at the vulnerable areas. I stationed them by families with their swords, spears, and bows.

14 And I looked, and rose up, and said to the nobles, and to the rulers, and to the rest of the people, Be 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.

After I had made an inspection, I stood up and said 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 and your daughters, your wives and your homes.”

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

When our enemies heard that we were aware of their scheme and that God had frustrated it, each of us returned to his own work on the wall.

16 And from that time forth the half of my servants wrought in the work, and the other half of them held the spears, and the shields, and the bows, and the corslets; and the captains were behind all the house of Judah.

And from that day on, half of my servants did the work while the other half held spears, shields, bows, and armor. The officers stationed themselves behind all the people of Judah

17 They that built on the wall, and they that bore burdens, with those that loaded, wrought in the work with one hand, and with the other they held a weapon.

who were rebuilding the wall. The laborers who carried materials worked with one hand and held a weapon with the other.

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

And each of the builders worked with his sword strapped at his side. But the trumpeter stayed beside me.

19 And I said to the nobles, and to the rulers, and to the rest of the people, The work is great and extended, and we are scattered upon the wall, one far from another:

Then I said to the nobles, the officials, and the rest of the people: “The work is great and extensive, and we are spread out far from one another along the wall.

20 in what place ye hear the sound of the trumpet, thither shall ye assemble to us; our God will fight for us.

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

21 And we laboured in the work; and half of them held the spears from the rising of the dawn till the stars appeared.

So we continued the work, while half of the men held spears from the break of dawn until the stars came out.

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

At that time I also said to the people, “Let every man and his servant spend the night inside Jerusalem, so that they can stand guard by night and work by day.”

23 And neither I, nor my brethren, nor my servants, nor the men of the guard that followed me, none of us put off our garments: every one had his weapon on his right side.

So neither I nor my brothers nor my servants nor the guards with me changed out of our clothes; each carried his weapon, even to go for water.