Nehemiah 4

1 But it came to pass that, when Sanballat heard that we were building the wall, he was wroth, and took great indignation, and mocked the Jews.2 And he spake before his brethren and the army of Samaria, and said, What are these feeble Jews doing? will they fortify themselves? will they sacrifice? will they make an end in a day? will they revive the stones out of the heaps of rubbish, seeing they are burned?3 Now Tobiah the Ammonite was by him, and he said, Even that which they are building, if a fox go up, he shall break down their stone wall.4 Hear, O our God; for we are despised: and turn back their reproach upon their own head, and give them up 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 thee to anger before the builders.6 So we built the wall; and all the wall was joined together unto half the height thereof: for the people had a mind to work.7 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 wroth;8 and they conspired all of them together to come and fight against Jerusalem, and to cause confusion therein.9 But we made our prayer unto our God, and set a watch against them day and night, because of them.10 And Judah said, The strength of the bearers of burdens is decayed, and there is much rubbish; so that we are not able to build the wall.11 And our adversaries said, They shall not know, neither see, till we come into the midst of them, and slay them, and cause the work to cease.12 And it came to pass that, when the Jews that dwelt by them came, they said unto us ten times from all places, Ye must return unto us.13 Therefore set I 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 And I looked, and rose up, and said unto the nobles, and to the rulers, and to the rest of the people, Be not ye 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.15 And it came to pass, when our enemies heard that it was known unto us, and God had brought their counsel to nought, that we returned all of us to the wall, every one unto his work.16 And it came to pass from that time forth, that half of my servants wrought 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 They all builded the wall and they that bare burdens laded themselves; every one with one of his hands wrought in the work, and with the other held his weapon;18 and the builders, every one had his sword girded by his side, and so builded. And he that sounded the trumpet was by me.19 And I said unto the nobles, 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 in what place soever ye hear the sound of the trumpet, resort ye thither unto us; our God will fight for us.21 So we wrought 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 said I unto the people, Let every one 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 brethren, nor my servants, nor the men of the guard that followed me, none of us put off our clothes, every one went with his weapon to the water.

Nehemiah 4

Opposition to the Work Continues

1 s Now when Sanballat heard that we were rebuilding the wall he became angry and was quite upset. He derided the Jews,

2 and in the presence of his colleaguest and the army of Samarias he said, “What are these feeble Jews doing? Will they be left to themselves?s Will they again offer sacrifice? Will they finish this in a day? Can they bring these burnt stones to life again from piles of dust?”

3 Then Tobiah the Ammonite, who was close by, said, “If even a fox were to climb up on what they are building, it would break down their wall of stones!”
4 Hear, O our God, for we are despised! Return their reproach on their own head! Reduce them to plunder in a land of exile!

5 Do not cover their iniquity, and do not wipe out their sin from before them. For they have bitterly offendedt the builders!t

6 So we rebuilt the wall, and the entire wall was joined together up to half its height.t The people were enthusiastic in their work.t
7 s When Sanballat, Tobiah, the Arabs, the Ammonites, and the people of Ashdod heard that the restoration of the walls of Jerusalems had moved ahead and that the breaches had begun to be closed, they were very angry.8 All of them conspired together to move with armed forcest against Jerusalem and to create a disturbance in it.9 So we prayed to our God and stationed a guard to protect against themt both day and night.

10 Then those in Judah said, “The strength of the laborerst has failed! The debris is so great that we are unable to rebuild the wall.”

11 Our adversaries also boasted,t “Before they are aware or anticipatet anything, we will come in among them and kill them, and we will bring this work to a halt!”

12 So it happened that the Jews who were living near them came and warned us repeatedlyt about all the schemess they were plottings against us.
13 So I stationed people at the lower places behind the wall in the exposed places.st I stationed the people by families, with their swords, spears, and bows.

14 When I had made an inspection,t I stood up and said to the nobles, the officials, and the rest of the people, “Don’t be afraid of them. Remember the great and awesome Lord,t and fight on behalf of your brothers, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your families!”t
15 It so happened that when our adversaries heard that we were aware of these matters,t God frustrated their intentions. Then all of us returned to the wall, each to his own work.16 From that day forward, half of my men were doing the work and half of them were taking up spears,s shields, bows, and body armor. Now the officers were behind all the peoplet of Judah17 who were rebuilding the wall.t Those who were carrying loads did sot by keeping one hand on the work and the other on their weapon.

18 The builders to a man had their swords strapped to their sides while they were building. But the trumpetert remained with me.
19 I said to the nobles, the officials, and the rest of the people, “The work is demandingt and extensive, and we are spread out on the wall, far removed from one another.

20 Wherever you hear the sound of the trumpet, gather there with us. Our God will fight for us!”
21 So we worked on,t with halft holding spears, from dawn till dusk.t22 At that time I instructedt the people, “Let every man and his coworker spend the night in Jerusalem and let them be guards for us by night and workers by day.

23 We did not change clothest – not I, nor my relatives, nor my workers, nor the watchmen who were with me. Each had his weapon, even when getting a drink of water.s