Nehemiah 4

1 And it came to pass, that when Sanaballat heard that we were building the wall he was angry: and being moved exceedingly he scoffed at 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 said before his brethren, and the multitude of the Samaritans: What are the silly Jews doing? Will the Gentiles let them alone? will they sacrifice and make an end in a day? are they able to raise stones out of the heaps of the rubbish, which are burnt?

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 Tobias also the Ammonite who was by him said: Let them build: if a fox go up, he will leap over 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 thou our God, for we are despised: turn their reproach upon their own head, and give them to be despised 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 Cover not their iniquity, and let not their sin be blotted out from before thy face, because they have mocked thy builders.

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

6 So we built the wall, and joined it all together unto the half thereof: and the heart of the people was excited 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 Sanaballat, and Tobias, and the Arabians, and the Ammonites, and the Azotians heard that the walls of Jerusalem were made up, and the breaches began to be closed, that they were exceedingly angry.

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 they all assembled themselves together, to come, and to fight against Jerusalem, and to prepare ambushes.

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

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

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

10 And Juda said: The strength of the bearer of burdens is decayed, and the rubbish is very much, and we shall not be able to build 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 enemies said: Let them not know, nor understand, till we come in the midst of them, and kill them, and cause the work to cease.

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 ten times, out of all the places from whence they came 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 the people in the place behind the wall round about in order, with their swords, and spears, and 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 I said to the chief men and the magistrates, and to the rest of the common people: be not afraid of them. Remember the Lord who is great and terrible, and fight for your brethren, your sons, and your daughters, and 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, when our enemies heard that the thing had been told us, that God defeated their counsel. And we returned all of us to the walls, every man 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 it came to pass from that day forward, that half of their young men did the work, and half were ready for to fight, with spears, and shields, and bows, and coats of mail, and the rulers were behind them in all the house of Juda.

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 Of them that built on the wall and that carried burdens, and that laded: with one of his hands he did the work, and with the other he held a sword.

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

18 For every one of the builders was girded with a sword about his reins. And they built, and sounded with a trumpet 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 magistrates, and to the rest of the common people: The work is great and wide, and we are separated on 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 soever you shall hear the sound of the trumpet, run all thither unto 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 let us do the work: and let one half of us hold our spears from the rising of the morning, till the stars appear.

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

22 At that time also I said to the people: Let every one with his servant stay in the midst of Jerusalem, and let us take our turns in the night, and by day, to work.

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 Now I and my brethren, and my servants, and the watchmen that followed me, did not put off our clothes: only every man stripped himself when he was to be washed.

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.