Nehemiah 4

1

When Sanballat heard that we were rebuilding the wall, he became angry

and was greatly incensed. He ridiculed the Jews,

2

and in the presence of his associates and the army of Samaria, he said,

"What are those feeble Jews doing? Will they restore their wall? Will they

offer sacrifices? Will they finish in a day? Can they bring the stones back

to life from those heaps of rubble - burned as they are?"

3

Tobiah the Ammonite, who was at his side, said, "What they are building -

if even a fox climbed up on it, he would break down their wall of stones!"

4

Hear us, O our God, for we are despised. Turn their insults back on their

own heads. Give them over as plunder in a land of captivity.

5

Do not cover up their guilt or blot out their sins from your sight, for they

have thrown insults in the face of the builders.

6

So we rebuilt the wall till all of it reached half its height, for the people

worked with all their heart.

7

But when Sanballat, Tobiah, the Arabs, the Ammonites and the men of Ashdod

heard that the repairs to Jerusalem's walls had gone ahead and that the gaps

were being closed, they were very angry.

8

They all plotted together to come and fight against erusalem and stir up

trouble against it.

9

But we prayed to our God and posted a guard ad night to meet this threat.

10

Meanwhile, the people in Judah said, "The strength of the laborers is giving out,

and there is so much rubble that we cannot rebuild the wall."

11

Aso our enemies said, "Before they know it or see us, we will be right there

among them and will kill them and put an end to the work."

12

Then the Jews who lived near them came and told us ten times over, "Wherever

you turn, they will attack us."

13

Therefore I stationed some of the people behind the lowest points of the

wall at exposed places, postings them by families, with their swords, spear

and bows. 

14

After I looked things over, I stood up and said to the nobles, the officials

and 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 and

daughters, your wives and your homes."

15

When our enemies heard that we were aware of their plot and that God had

frustrated it, we all returned to the wall, each to his own work.

16

From that day on, half of my men did the work, while the other half were

equipped with spears, shields, bows and armor. The officers posted themselves

behind all the people of Judah

17

who were building the wall. Those who carried materials did their work with

one hand and held a weapon in the other,

18

and each of the builders wore his sword at his side as he worked. But the

man who sounded the trumpet stayed with me.

19

Then I said to the nobles, the officials and the rest of the people, "The work

is extensive and spread out, and we are widely separated from each other

along the wall.

20

Wherever you hear the sound of the trumpet, join us there. Our God will fight

for us!"

21

So we continued the work with half the men holding spears, from the first

light of dawn till the stars came out.

22

At that time I also said to the people, "Have every man and his helper stay

inside Jerusalem at night, so they can serve us as guards by night and

workmen by day."

23

Neither I nor my brothers nor my men nor the guards with me took off our

clothes; each had his weapon, even when he went for water.