Nehemiah 4

1 But when Sanballat heard that we builded the wall, then was he wroth and sore grieued, and mocked the Iewes,

Now it came to pass, when Sanaballat heard that we were building the wall, that it was grievous to him, and he was very angry, and railed against the Jews.

2 And sayde before his brethren and the armie of Samaria, thus he sayde, What doe these weake Iewes? wil they fortifie them selues? wil they sacrifice? will they finish it in a day? will they make the stones whole againe out of the heapes of dust, seeing they are burnt?

And he said before his brethren (that [is] the army of the Samaritans) [Is it true] that these Jews are building their city? do they indeed offer sacrifices? will they prevail? and will they this day restore the stones, after they have been burnt and made a heap of rubbish?

3 And Tobiah the Ammonite was beside him, and said, Although they buylde, yet if a foxe goe vp, he shall euen breake downe their stonie wall.

And Tobias the Ammanite came near to him, and said to them, Do they sacrifice or eat in their place? shall not a fox go up and pull down their wall of stones?

4 Heare, O our God (for we are despised) and turne their shame vpon their owne head, and giue them vnto a pray in the lande of their captiuitie,

Hear, O our God, for we have become a scorn; and return thou their reproach upon their head, and make them a scorn in a land of captivity,

5 And couer not their iniquitie, neither let their sinne be put out in thy presence: for they haue prouoked vs before the builders.

and do not cover [their] iniquity.

6 So we built the wall, and all the wall was ioyned vnto the halfe thereof, and the heart of the people was to worke.

7 But when Sanballat, and Tobiah, and the Arabians, and the Ammonites, and the Ashdodims heard that the walles of Ierusalem were repayred, (for the breaches began to be stopped) then they were very wroth,

But it came to pass, when Sanaballat and Tobia, and the Arabians, and the Ammanites, heard that the building of the walls of Jerusalem was advancing, [and] that the breaches began to be stopped, that it appeared very grievous to them.

8 And conspired all together to come and to fight against Ierusalem, and to hinder them.

And all of them assembled together, to come to fight against Jerusalem, and to destroy it utterly.

9 The we prayed vnto our God, and set watchmen by them, day and night, because of them.

So we prayed to our God and set watchmen against them day and night, because of them.

10 And Iudah said, The strength of the bearers is weakened, and there is much earth, so that we are not able to build the wall.

And Juda said, The strength of the enemies is broken, yet [there is] much rubbish, and we shall not be able to build the wall.

11 Also our aduersaries had sayde, They shall not knowe, neither see, till we come into the middes of them and slay them, and cause the worke to cease.

And they that afflicted us said, They shall not know, and they shall not see, until we come into the midst of them, and slay them, and cause the work to cease.

12 But when the Iewes (which dwelt beside them) came, they told vs ten times, From all places whence ye shall returne, they wil be vpon vs.

And it came to pass, when the Jews who lived near them came, that they said to us, They are coming up against us from every quarter.

13 Therefore set I in the lower places behind the wall vpon the toppes of the stones, and placed the people by their families, with their swordes, their speares and their bowes.

So I set [men] in the lowest part of the place behind the wall in the lurking-places, I even set the people according to their families, with their swords, their spears, and their bows.

14 Then I behelde, and rose vp, and said vnto the Princes, and to the rulers, and to the rest of the people, Be not afrayde of them: remember the great Lord, and fearefull, and fight for your brethren, your sonnes, and your daughters, your wiues, and your houses.

And I looked, and arose, and said to the nobles, and to the captains, and to the rest of the people, Be not afraid of them: remember our great and terrible God, and fight for your brethren, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your houses.

15 And when our enemies heard that it was knowen vnto vs, then God brought their counsell to nought, and we turned all againe to the wall, euery one vnto his worke.

And it came to pass, when our enemies heard that it was made known to us, and God had frustrated their counsel, that we all returned to the wall, [every] man to his work.

16 And from that day, halfe of the yong men did the labour, and the other halfe part of them helde the speares, and shieldes, and bowes, and habergins: and the rulers stoode behinde all the house of Iudah.

And it came to pass from that day [that] half of them that had been driven forth, wrought the work, and half of them kept guard; and [there were] spears, and shields, and bows, and breast-plates, and rulers behind the whole house of Juda,

17 They that buylded on the wall, and they that bare burdens, and they that laded, did the worke with one hand, and with the other helde the sworde.

even of them that were building the wall: —and those who carried the burdens [were] under arms: [each] with one hand wrought his work, and with the other held his dart.

18 For euery one of the buylders had his sworde girded on his loynes, and so buylded: and he that blewe the trumpet, was beside me.

And the builders [wrought] each man having his sword girt upon his loins, and so they built: and the trumpeter with his trumpet next to him.

19 Then saide I vnto the Princes, and to the rulers, and to the rest of the people, The worke is great and large, and we are separated vpon the wall, one farre from another.

And I said to the nobles, and to the rulers, and to the rest of the people, The work [is] great and abundant, and we are dispersed upon the wall, each at a great distance from his brother.

20 In what place therefore ye heare the sound of the trumpet, resort ye thither vnto vs: our God shall fight for vs.

In whatsoever place ye shall hear the sound of the cornet, thither gather yourselves together to us; and our God shall fight for us.

21 So we laboured in the worke, and halfe of them helde the speares, from the appearing of the morning, till the starres came foorth.

So we [continued] labouring at the work: and half of them held the spears from the rising of the morning until the stars appeared.

22 And at the same time said I vnto the people, Let euery one with his seruant lodge within Ierusalem, that they may be a watch for vs in the night, and labour in the day.

And at that time I said to the people, Lodge ye every man with his servant in the midst of Jerusalem, and let the night be a watch-time to you, and the day a work-time.

23 So neither I, nor my brethren, nor my seruants, nor the men of the warde, (which followed me) none of vs did put off our clothes, saue euery one put them off for washing.

And I was [there], and the watchmen behind me, and there was not a man of us that put off his garments.