Nehemiah 4

The Work Ridiculed

1NowH1961 whenH834 SanballatH5571 heardH8085 thatH3588 weH587 were rebuildingH1129 the wallH2346, he was furiousH2734 and filled with indignationH3707H7235. He ridiculedH3932H5921 the JewsH3064 2beforeH6440 his associatesH251 and the armyH2428 of SamariaH8111H559, sayingH559, “WhatH4100 are these feebleH537 JewsH3064 doingH6213? Can they restoreH5800 the wall by themselves?1 Will they offer sacrificesH2076? Will they complete itH3615 in a dayH3117? Can they bring theseH1992 burntH8313 stonesH68 back to lifeH2421 from the moundsH6194 of rubbleH6083?”

3Then TobiahH2900 the AmmoniteH5984, who was beside himH681, saidH559, “IfH518 evenH1571 a foxH7776 were to climb up onH5927 whatH834 theyH1992 are buildingH1129, it would break downH6555 their wallH2346 of stonesH68!”

4Hear usH8085, O GodH430, forH3588 we areH1961 despisedH939. TurnH7725 their scornH2781 back uponH413 their own headsH7218, and let them be takenH5414 as plunderH961 to a landH776 of captivityH7633. 5Do notH408 cover upH3680H5921 their iniquityH5771 or let their sinH2403 be blotted outH4229 from Your sightH6440H408, forH3588 they have provokedH3707H5048 the buildersH1129.2

6So we rebuiltH1129 the wallH2346 until allH3605 of it was joined togetherH7194 up toH5704 half itsH2677 height, for the peopleH5971 hadH1961 a mindH3820 to workH6213.

7

WhenH834 SanballatH5571 and TobiahH2900, together with the ArabsH6163, AmmonitesH5984, and AshdoditesH796, heardH8085 thatH3588 the repairH724 to the wallsH2346 of JerusalemH3389 was progressingH5927 and thatH3588H2490 the gapsH6555 were being closedH5640, they were furiousH2734, 8and all of themH3605 conspiredH7194H3162 to comeH935 and fightH3898 against JerusalemH3389 and createH6213 a hindranceH8442.

Discouragement Overcome

9So we prayedH6419 toH413 our GodH430 and postedH5975 a guardH4929 against themH5921H6440 dayH3119 and nightH3915.

10Meanwhile, the people of JudahH3063 saidH559:3

11And our enemiesH6862 saidH559, “BeforeH5704 they knowH3045 or seeH7200 a thing, we will comeH935 intoH413 their midstH8432, kill themH2026, and put an endH7673 to the workH4399.”

12At that timeH1961 the JewsH3064 who livedH3427 nearbyH681 cameH935 and toldH559 us tenH6235 timesH6471 over, “WhereverH3605H4725 you turnH7725, they will attack usH5921.”

13So I stationedH5975 men behindH310 the lowestH8482 sectionsH4725 of the wallH2346, at the vulnerable areasH6708. I stationedH5975 themH5971 by familiesH4940 withH5973 their swordsH2719, spearsH7420, and bowsH7198.

14After I had made an inspectionH7200, I stood upH6965 and saidH559 toH413 the noblesH2715H413, the officialsH5461H413, and the restH3499 of the peopleH5971, “Do notH408 be afraidH3372 of themH6440. RememberH2142 the LordH136, who is greatH1419 and awesomeH3372, and fightH3898 forH5921 your brothersH251, your sonsH1121 and your daughtersH1323, your wivesH802 and your homesH1004.”

15

WhenH834 our enemiesH341 heardH8085 thatH3588 we were awareH3045 of their schemeH6098 and that GodH430 had frustrated itH6565, eachH3605 of us returnedH7725 toH413 his ownH376 workH4399 onH413 the wallH2346. 16AndH1961 fromH4480 thatH1931 day onH3117, halfH2677 of my servantsH5288 didH6213 the workH4399 while the other halfH2677 heldH2388 spearsH7420, shieldsH4043, bowsH7198, and armorH8302.

The officersH8269 stationed themselves behindH310 allH3605 the peopleH1004 of JudahH3063 17who were rebuildingH1129 the wallH2346. The laborers who carriedH5375 materialsH5447H6006 workedH6213H4399 with oneH259 handH3027 and heldH2388 a weaponH7973 with the otherH259. 18And eachH376 of the buildersH1129 workedH1129 with his swordH2719 strappedH631 atH5921 his sideH4975. But the trumpeterH8628H7782 stayed beside meH681.

19Then I saidH559 toH413 the noblesH2715H413, the officialsH5461H413, and the restH3499 of the peopleH5971: “The workH4399 is greatH7235 and extensiveH7342, and weH587 are spread outH6504 farH7350 from oneH376 anotherH251 alongH5921 the wallH2346. 20WhereverH4725 you hearH8085 the soundH6963 of the hornH7782, rallyH6908 to usH413 thereH8033. Our GodH430 will fightH3898 for us!”

21So weH587 continuedH6213 the workH4399, while half ofH2677 the men heldH2388 spearsH7420 from the breakH5927 of dawnH7837 untilH5704 the starsH3556 came outH3318. 22At thatH1931 timeH6256 I alsoH1571 saidH559 to the peopleH5971, “Let every manH376 and his servantH5288 spend the nightH3885 insideH8432 JerusalemH3389, so that they can standH1961 guardH4929 by nightH3915 and workH4399 by dayH3117.”

23So neither IH589 nor my brothersH251 nor my servantsH5288H376 nor the guardsH4929 with meH310H369H587 changed out ofH6584 our clothesH899; eachH376 carried his weaponH7973, even to go for waterH4325.4