Nehemiah 4

Work Is Ridiculed

11Now it cameH1961 about that whenH3512 2SanballatH5571 heardH8085 that we were rebuildingH1129 the wallH2346, he becameH2734 furiousH2734 and veryH7235 angryH3707 and mockedH3932 the JewsH3064. 2He spokeH559 in the presenceH6440 of his brothersH251 and 3the 4wealthyH2428 men of SamariaH8111 and saidH559, “WhatH4100 are these feebleH537 JewsH3064 doingH6213? Are they going to restoreH5800 it for themselves? Can they offerH2076 sacrificesH2076? Can they finishH3615 in a dayH3117? Can they reviveH2421 the stonesH68 from the 56dustyH6083 rubbleH6194 even the burnedH8313 ones?” 3Now TobiahH2900 the AmmoniteH5984 was nearH681 him and he saidH559, “EvenH1571 whatH834 they are buildingH1129--7ifH518 a foxH7776 should 8jumpH5927 on it, he would breakH6555 their stoneH68 wallH2346 downH6555!”

49HearH8085, O our GodH430, howH3588 we are despisedH939! 10ReturnH7725 their reproachH2781 on their own headsH7218 and giveH5414 them up for plunderH961 in a landH776 of captivityH7633. 5Do not 1112forgiveH3680 their iniquityH5771 and let not their sinH2403 be blottedH4229 out beforeH4480H6440 You, for they have 13demoralizedH3707H5048 the buildersH1129.

6So we builtH1129 the wallH2346 and the wholeH3605 wallH2346 was joinedH7194 togetherH7194 to halfH2677 its height, for the peopleH5971 hadH1961 a 14mindH3820 to workH6213.

715Now whenH3512 SanballatH5571, TobiahH2900, the ArabsH6163, the AmmonitesH5984 and the AshdoditesH796 heardH8085 that the 16repairH724 of the wallsH2346 of JerusalemH3389 wentH5927 on, and that the breachesH6555 beganH2490 to be closedH5640, they were veryH3966 angryH2734. 8AllH3605 of them 17conspiredH7194 togetherH3164 to comeH935 and fightH3898 against JerusalemH3389 and to causeH6213 a disturbanceH8442 in it.

Discouragement Overcome

9But we prayedH6419 to our GodH430, and becauseH5921 of them we 18setH5975 up a guardH4929 againstH5921 them dayH3119 and nightH3915.

10Thus 19in JudahH3063 it was saidH559, “The strengthH3581 of the burdenH5449 bearersH5449 is failingH3782, Yet there is muchH7235 20rubbishH6083; And we ourselvesH587 are unableH3808H3201 To rebuildH1129 the wallH2346.” 11Our enemiesH6862 saidH559, “They will not knowH3045 or seeH7200 untilH5704H834 we comeH935 amongH413H8432 them, killH2026 them and putH7673 a stopH7673 to the workH4399.” 12WhenH3512 the JewsH3064 who livedH3427 nearH681 them cameH935 and toldH559 us tenH6235 timesH6471, “21They will come up againstH5921 us from everyH3605 placeH4725 whereH834 you may turnH7725,” 13then I stationedH5975 men in the lowestH8482 partsH8482 of the spaceH4725 behindH310 the wallH2346, the 22exposedH6706 placesH6706, and I 23stationedH5975 the peopleH5971 in familiesH4940 with their swordsH2719, spearsH7420 and bowsH7198. 14When I sawH7200 their fear, I roseH6965 and spokeH559 to the noblesH2715, the officialsH5461 and the restH3499 of the peopleH5971: “24Do not be afraidH3372 of them; rememberH2142 the LordH136 who is greatH1419 and awesomeH3372, and 25fightH3898 for your brothersH251, your sonsH1121, your daughtersH1323, your wivesH802 and your housesH1004.”

15WhenH3512 our enemiesH340 heardH8085 that it was knownH3045 to us, and that 26GodH430 had frustratedH6565 their planH6098, then allH3605 of us returnedH7725 to the wallH2346, eachH376 oneH376 to his workH4399. 16From that dayH3117 on, halfH2677 of my servantsH5288 carriedH6213 on the workH4399 while halfH2677 of them heldH2388 the spearsH7420, the shieldsH4043, the bowsH7198 and the breastplatesH8302; and the captainsH8269 were behindH310 the wholeH3605 houseH1004 of JudahH3063. 17Those who were rebuildingH1129 the wallH2346 and those who carriedH5375 burdensH5447 tookH6006 their loadH6006 with oneH259 handH3027 doingH6213 the workH4399 and the otherH259 holdingH2388 a weaponH7973. 18As for the buildersH1129, eachH376 wore his swordH2719 girdedH631 at his sideH4975 as he builtH1129, while 27the trumpeterH8628H7782 stood nearH681 me. 19I saidH559 to the noblesH2715, the officialsH5461 and the restH3499 of the peopleH5971, “The workH4399 is greatH7235 and extensiveH7342, and we are separatedH6504 on the wallH2346 farH7350 from oneH376 anotherH251. 20At whateverH834 placeH4725 you hearH8085 the soundH6963 of the trumpetH7782, 28rallyH6908 to us thereH8033. 29Our GodH430 will fightH3898 for us.”

21So we carriedH6213 on the workH4399 with halfH2677 of them holdingH2388 spearsH7420 from 30dawnH5927H7837 untilH5704 the starsH3556 31appearedH3318. 22At that timeH6256 I alsoH1571 saidH559 to the peopleH5971, “Let eachH376 manH376 with his servantH5288 spendH3885 the nightH3885 withinH8432 JerusalemH3389 so that they may be a guardH4929 for us by nightH3915 and a laborerH4399 by dayH3117.” 23So neitherH369 I, my brothersH251, my servantsH5288, norH369 the menH376 of the guardH4929 whoH834 followedH310 me, noneH369 of us removedH6584 our clothesH899, eachH376 took his weaponH7973 even to the waterH4325.