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.

When Sanballat found out that we were rebuilding the wall, he was furious—really mad! He made fun of 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?

in front of his colleagues and the army of Samaria, saying, “What are these useless Jews trying to achieve? Do they think they can rebuild the wall? Are they going to offer sacrifices? Are they going to finish it in a day? Do they think they can re-use stones from piles of rubble and dirt, especially since they've all been burned?”

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.

Tobiah the Ammonite, standing beside him, commented, “Even a fox walking on what they're building would knock 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.

I prayed, “Lord, please listen to us, because we are being treated with contempt. Rain down their insults on their own heads! Let them be taken away like plunder, prisoners in a foreign land!

5 Cover not their iniquity, and let not their sin be blotted out from before thy face, because they have mocked thy builders.

Don't forgive their guilt or blot out their sins, for they have made you angry in front of 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 it was all connected, reaching half its height, because the people were keen 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, and the Arabs, Ammonites, and Ashdodites, heard that the repair to the walls of Jerusalem was progressing and that the gaps were being filled in, they were furious.

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

They all plotted together to come and attack Jerusalem and to throw everything into confusion.

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 we had guards ready to defend 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.

Then people of Judah started grumbling, saying, “The workmen are exhausted. There's just too much rubble to clear. We'll never be able to finish 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.

Our enemies were saying to themselves, “Before they know it, before they're aware of anything, we'll appear right in among them, kill them, and put a stop to what they're doing.”

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,

The Jews who lived close by came and told us over and over again, “They're going to attack us from all directions!”

13 I set the people in the place behind the wall round about in order, with their swords, and spears, and bows.

So I positioned defenders behind the lowest, most vulnerable sections, of the wall. I had them take their positions by families, armed 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 inspecting our defenses, I stood up and addressed the nobles, the officials, and the rest of the people, saying, “Don't be afraid of them! Remember the Lord, who is powerful and formidable! 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 discovered that we knew about their plan, and that God had foiled it, we all went back to our 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.

From then on, half of my men were doing the work while the other half were ready to fight, holding their spears, shields, bows, and armor. The leaders stood 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 building the wall. Those carrying materials worked with one hand, holding a weapon in 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.

All the builders carried a sword strapped to their side, and the trumpeter stood 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 told the nobles, the officials, and the rest of the people: “We have a lot to do everywhere, so we're very spread out 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 are and you hear the sound of the trumpet, run to join 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.

We went on working, with half of the men holding spears from 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.

I also told the people, “Everyone including servants must spend the night inside Jerusalem, so they can be on guard duty at night and work during the 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.

During that time none of us changed our clothes—not me or my brothers or my men or the guards with me. Everyone carried their weapons at all times, even to go for water.