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.

And it comes to pass, when Sanballat has heard that we are building the wall, that it is displeasing to him, and he is very angry and mocks at 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?

and says before his brothers and the force of Samaria, indeed, he says, “What [are] 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 are burned?”

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. —

And Tobiah the Ammonite [is] by him and says, “Also, that which they are building—if a fox goes up, then it has broken down their stone wall.”

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, O our God, for we have been despised; and return their reproach on their own head, and give them for a spoil in 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.

and do not cover over their iniquity, and do not let their sin be blotted out from before You, for they have provoked [You] to anger in front of those building.

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.

And we build the wall, and all the wall is joined—to its half, and the people have a heart 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,

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

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

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

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

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

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.

And Judah says, “The power of the burden-bearers has become feeble, and the rubbish [is] abundant, and we are not able to build on 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 adversaries say, “They do not know, nor see, until we come into their midst, and have slain them, and caused the work to cease.”

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,

And it comes to pass, when the Jews have come who are dwelling near them, that they say to us ten times from all the places to where you return—[they are] against 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.

And I appoint at the lowest of the places, at the back of the wall, in the clear places, indeed, I appoint the people, by their families, with their swords, their spears, and their 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.

And I see, and rise up, and say to the nobles, and to the prefects, and to the rest of the people, “Do not be afraid of them; remember the Lord, the great and the fearful, and fight for your brothers, your sons, and your daughters, your wives, and your houses.”

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.

And it comes to pass, when our enemies have heard that it has been known to us, and God frustrates their counsel, and we return, all of us, to the wall, each to his work;

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.

indeed, it comes 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 [are] behind all the house 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.

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

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 the builders [are] each with his sword, girded on his loins, and building, and he who is blowing with a horn [is] 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:

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

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

in the place that you hear the voice of the horn there you are gathered to us; our God fights 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.

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

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.

Also, at that time I said to the people, “Let each lodge with his servant in the midst of Jerusalem, and they have been a watch for us by night, and [for] the 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.

and there are none—I, and my brothers, and my servants, the men of the watch who [are] after me—there are none of us putting off our garments, each [has] his vessel of water.