Nehemiah 4

1 But when Sanballat heard that we were building the wall, he was angry, and was very indignant, and mocked the Jews.

But it came to pass that, when Sanballat heard that we were building the wall, he was angry, and took great indignation, and mocked the Jews.

2 He spoke before his brothers and the army of Samaria, and said, “What are these feeble Jews doing? Will they fortify themselves? Will they sacrifice? Will they finish in a day? Will they revive the stones out of the heaps of rubbish, since they are burnt?”

And he spoke before his brothers and the army of Samaria, and said, What are these feeble Jews doing? Will they fortify themselves? Will they sacrifice? Will they finish in a day? Will they revive the stones out of the heaps of rubbish, seeing they are burnt?

3 Now Tobiah the Ammonite was by him, and he said, “What they are building, if a fox climbed up it, he would break down their stone wall.”

Now Tobiah the Ammonite was by him, and he said, Even that which they are building, if a fox goes up he shall break down their stone wall.

4 “Hear, our God, for we are despised. Turn back their reproach on their own head. Give them up for a plunder in a land of captivity.

Hear, O our God, for we are despised, and so turn back their reproach upon their own head, and give them up for a spoil in a land of captivity,

5 Don’t cover their iniquity. Don’t let their sin be blotted out from before you; for they have insulted the builders.”

and do not cover their iniquity, and let not their sin be blotted out from before thee, for they have provoked thee to anger before the builders.

6 So we built the wall; and all the wall was joined together to half its height, for the people had a mind to work.

So we built the wall, and all the wall was joined together to half the height of it, for the people had a mind to work.

7 But when Sanballat, Tobiah, the Arabians, the Ammonites, and the Ashdodites heard that the repairing of the walls of Jerusalem went forward, and that the breaches began to be filled, they were very angry;

But it came to pass that, when Sanballat, and Tobiah, and the Arabians, and the Ammonites, and the Ashdodites, heard that the repairing of the walls of Jerusalem went forward, and that the breaches began to be stopped, then they were very angry,

8 and they all conspired together to come and fight against Jerusalem, and to cause confusion amongst us.

and all of them together conspired to come and fight against Jerusalem, and to cause confusion therein.

9 But we made our prayer to our God, and set a watch against them day and night because of them.

But we made our prayer to our God, and set a watch against them day and night, because of them.

10 Judah said, “The strength of the bearers of burdens is fading and there is much rubble, so that we are not able to build the wall.”

And Judah said, The strength of the bearers of burdens has become feeble, and there is much rubbish, so that we are not able to build the wall.

11 Our adversaries said, “They will not know or see, until we come in amongst them and kill them, and cause the work to cease.”

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

12 When the Jews who lived by them came, they said to us ten times from all places, “Wherever you turn, they will attack us.”

And it came to pass that, when the Jews who dwelt by them came, they said to us ten times, From all places from where ye shall return to us they will be upon you.

13 Therefore I set guards in the lowest parts of the space behind the wall, in the open places. I set the people by family groups with their swords, their spears, and their bows.

Therefore I set in the lowest parts of the space behind the wall, in the open places, I set there the people after their families with their swords, their spears, and their bows.

14 I looked, and rose up, and said to the nobles, to the rulers, and to the rest of the people, “Don’t be afraid of them! Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for your brothers, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your houses.”

And I looked, and rose up, and said to the ranking men, and to the rulers, and to the rest of the people, Be not ye 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 houses.

15 When our enemies heard that it was known to us, and God had brought their counsel to nothing, all of us returned to the wall, everyone to his work.

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

16 From that time forth, half of my servants did the work, and half of them held the spears, the shields, the bows, and the coats of mail; and the rulers were behind all the house of Judah.

And it came to pass from that time forth, that half of my servants labored in the work, and half of them held the spears, the shields, and the bows, and the coats of mail. And the rulers were behind all the house of Judah.

17 Those who built the wall, and those who bore burdens loaded themselves; everyone with one of his hands did the work, and with the other held his weapon.

They all built the wall, and those who bore burdens loaded themselves, every man with one of his hands labored in the work, and with the other held his weapon,

18 Amongst the builders, everyone wore his sword at his side, and so built. He who sounded the shofar was by me.

and the builders, every man had his sword girded by his side, and so built. And he who sounded the trumpet was by me.

19 I said to the nobles, and to the rulers and to the rest of the people, “The work is great and widely spread out, and we are separated on the wall, far from one another.

And I said to the ranking men, and to the rulers and to the rest of the people, The work is great and large, and we are separated upon the wall, one far from another.

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

In whatever place ye hear the sound of the trumpet, gather ye there to us, our God will fight for us.

21 So we did the work. Half of the people held the spears from the rising of the morning until the stars appeared.

So we labored in the work, and half of them held the spears from the rising of the morning till the stars appeared.

22 Likewise at the same time I said to the people, “Let everyone with his servant lodge within Jerusalem, that in the night they may be a guard to us, and may labour in the day.”

Likewise at the same time I said to the people, Let each with his servant lodge within Jerusalem that in the night they may be a guard to us, and may labor in the day.

23 So neither I, nor my brothers, nor my servants, nor the men of the guard who followed me took off our clothes. Everyone took his weapon to the water.

So neither I, nor my brothers, nor my servants, nor the men of the guard who followed me, none of us put off our clothes, everyone went with his weapon to the water.