1 When|strong="H3588" Sanballat|strong="H5571" heard|strong="H8085" that|strong="H0834" we|strong="H3588" were|strong="H0834" building the|strong="H0834" wall|strong="H2346" of|strong="H2346" Jerusalem|strong="H3389", he|strong="H0834" was|strong="H1961" very|strong="H3966" angry|strong="H2734" and|strong="H3389" upset. He|strong="H0834" started|strong="H1961" making fun of|strong="H2346" the|strong="H0834" Jews.
2 Sanballat talked with|strong="H0935" his|strong="H3605" friends and|strong="H0935" the|strong="H3605" army|strong="H3389" at|strong="H0935" Samaria and|strong="H0935" said, “What|strong="H6213" are|strong="H6213" these|strong="H3605" weak|strong="H3605" Jews doing|strong="H6213"? Do|strong="H6213" they|strong="H0935" think we|strong="H3605" will|strong="H3389" leave them|strong="H0935" alone|strong="H6213"? Do|strong="H6213" they|strong="H0935" think they|strong="H0935" will|strong="H3389" offer|strong="H6213" sacrifices? Maybe they|strong="H0935" think they|strong="H0935" can|strong="H6213" finish building in|strong="H0935" only|strong="H3605" one|strong="H3605" day. They|strong="H0935" cannot bring|strong="H0935" stones back|strong="H0935" to|strong="H0935" life from|strong="H0935" these|strong="H3605" piles of|strong="H3605" trash and|strong="H0935" dirt. These|strong="H3605" are|strong="H6213" just|strong="H3605" piles of|strong="H3605" ashes and|strong="H0935" dirt!”
3 Tobiah the|strong="H6440" Ammonite was|strong="H0430" with|strong="H0413" Sanballat. Tobiah said|strong="H0413", “What|strong="H5921" do these Jews think they|strong="H5921" are|strong="H0430" building? If even|strong="H5921" a|strong="H5921" small fox climbed up|strong="H5975" on|strong="H5921" it|strong="H5921", he|strong="H0430" would break down|strong="H5921" their|strong="H5921" wall of|strong="H0430" stones!”
4 Nehemiah prayed|strong="H0559" and|strong="H3063" said|strong="H0559", “Our|strong="H0587" God|strong="H0559", listen to|strong="H0559" our|strong="H0587" prayer. These men|strong="H0559" hate us|strong="H0559". Sanballat and|strong="H3063" Tobiah are|strong="H3063" insulting us|strong="H0559". Make bad things|strong="H3808" happen to|strong="H0559" them|strong="H0559". Make them|strong="H0559" ashamed, like|strong="H3808" people|strong="H3808" taken away as|strong="H3063" prisoners.
5 Don’t|strong="H3808" take|strong="H0935" away|strong="H0935" their|strong="H0935" guilt or|strong="H3808" forgive the|strong="H0853" sins they|strong="H0834" have|strong="H0834" done in|strong="H0935" your|strong="H0834" sight. They|strong="H0834" have|strong="H0834" insulted and|strong="H0935" discouraged the|strong="H0853" builders.”
6 We|strong="H0834" built the|strong="H3605" wall of|strong="H3427" Jerusalem all|strong="H3605" the|strong="H3605" way|strong="H3605" around|strong="H5921" the|strong="H3605" city. But|strong="H1961" it|strong="H5921" was|strong="H1961" only|strong="H3605" half as|strong="H0834" tall as|strong="H0834" it|strong="H5921" should|strong="H0559" be|strong="H1961". We|strong="H0834" did|strong="H0834" this|strong="H6471" much|strong="H0834" because|strong="H5921" the|strong="H3605" people|strong="H3427" worked with|strong="H5921" all|strong="H3605" their|strong="H3605" heart.
7 But|strong="H5973" Sanballat, Tobiah, the|strong="H0853" Arabs, the|strong="H0853" Ammonites, and|strong="H2719" the|strong="H0853" men|strong="H5971" from|strong="H5973" Ashdod were|strong="H4940" very angry. They|strong="H0310" heard that|strong="H0310" the|strong="H0853" people|strong="H5971" continued working on|strong="H5975" the|strong="H0853" walls|strong="H2346" of|strong="H2346" Jerusalem. They|strong="H0310" heard the|strong="H0853" people|strong="H5971" were|strong="H4940" repairing the|strong="H0853" holes in|strong="H5975" the|strong="H0853" wall|strong="H2346".
8 So|strong="H6965" all|strong="H1419" these|strong="H5971" men|strong="H1121" got|strong="H6965" together|strong="H5921" and|strong="H1121" made|strong="H0802" plans against|strong="H5921" Jerusalem. They|strong="H5921" planned to|strong="H0413" stir|strong="H6965" up|strong="H6965" trouble against|strong="H5921" Jerusalem. They|strong="H5921" planned to|strong="H0413" come|strong="H6965" and|strong="H1121" fight|strong="H3898" against|strong="H5921" the|strong="H0853" city.
9 But|strong="H3588" we|strong="H3588" prayed to|strong="H0413" our|strong="H3605" God|strong="H0430". And|strong="H0430" we|strong="H3588" put|strong="H7725" guards|strong="H3045" on|strong="H0413" the|strong="H3605" walls|strong="H2346" to|strong="H0413" watch|strong="H3045" day and|strong="H0430" night so|strong="H1961" that|strong="H0834" we|strong="H3588" could|strong="H0376" be|strong="H1961" ready to|strong="H0413" meet them|strong="H0413".
10 And|strong="H3063" so|strong="H4480" at|strong="H3117" that|strong="H3605" time|strong="H3117" the|strong="H3605" people|strong="H5288" of|strong="H1004" Judah|strong="H3063" said, “The|strong="H3605" workers|strong="H4399" are|strong="H3117" becoming|strong="H1961" tired. There|strong="H1961" is|strong="H1931" too|strong="H4480" much|strong="H3605" dirt and|strong="H3063" trash in|strong="H1004" the|strong="H3605" way|strong="H3605". We|strong="H3117" cannot|strong="H4480" continue|strong="H1961" to|strong="H1961" build the|strong="H3605" wall.
11 And|strong="H3027" our|strong="H6006" enemies are|strong="H3027" saying, ‘Before the|strong="H1129" Jews know it|strong="H6213" or|strong="H0259" see us|strong="H6213", we|strong="H6213" will|strong="H3027" be|strong="H3027" right|strong="H1129" there among them|strong="H5375". We|strong="H6213" will|strong="H3027" kill them|strong="H5375" and|strong="H3027" that|strong="H3027" will|strong="H3027" stop the|strong="H1129" work|strong="H4399".’”
12 Then|strong="H1129" the|strong="H5921" Jews living|strong="H0376" among|strong="H5921" our|strong="H5921" enemies came|strong="H0376" and|strong="H0376" said this|strong="H0376" to|strong="H5921" us|strong="H5921" ten times, “Our|strong="H5921" enemies are|strong="H0376" all|strong="H0376" around|strong="H5921" us|strong="H5921". They|strong="H0376" are|strong="H0376" everywhere we turn.”
13 So|strong="H5921" I|strong="H0559" put some|strong="H0376" of|strong="H0376" the|strong="H0559" people|strong="H5971" behind the|strong="H0559" lowest places|strong="H0559" along|strong="H5921" the|strong="H0559" wall|strong="H2346", and|strong="H0376" I|strong="H0559" put them|strong="H0413" by|strong="H5921" the|strong="H0559" holes in|strong="H5921" the|strong="H0559" wall|strong="H2346". I|strong="H0559" put families together|strong="H5921", with|strong="H0413" their|strong="H5921" swords, spears, and|strong="H0376" bows.
14 After|strong="H0413" looking over|strong="H0413" everything|strong="H0834", I|strong="H0834" stood up|strong="H0853" and|strong="H0430" spoke|strong="H0413" to|strong="H0413" the|strong="H0853" important families, the|strong="H0853" officials, and|strong="H0430" the|strong="H0853" rest of|strong="H0430" the|strong="H0853" people|strong="H0834". I|strong="H0834" said|strong="H0413", “Don’t be|strong="H0430" afraid of|strong="H0430" our|strong="H0430" enemies. Remember the|strong="H0853" Lord, who|strong="H0834" is|strong="H0834" great|strong="H0430" and|strong="H0430" powerful! You|strong="H0834" must|strong="H0853" fight|strong="H3898" for|strong="H0413" your|strong="H0834" brothers, your|strong="H0834" sons, and|strong="H0430" your|strong="H0834" daughters! You|strong="H0834" must|strong="H0853" fight|strong="H3898" for|strong="H0413" your|strong="H0834" wives and|strong="H0430" your|strong="H0834" homes!”
15 Then|strong="H3318" our|strong="H3318" enemies heard that|strong="H5704" we|strong="H0587" knew about|strong="H3318" their|strong="H2388" plans|strong="H6213". They|strong="H5704" knew that|strong="H5704" God ruined their|strong="H2388" plans|strong="H6213". So|strong="H6213" we|strong="H0587" all|strong="H5704" went|strong="H3318" back|strong="H5927" to|strong="H5704" work|strong="H4399" on|strong="H4399" the|strong="H5704" wall. Everyone went|strong="H3318" back|strong="H5927" to|strong="H5704" their|strong="H2388" own|strong="H2388" place and|strong="H2388" did|strong="H6213" their|strong="H2388" part.
16 From|strong="H0376" that|strong="H3117" day|strong="H3117" on|strong="H3117", half of|strong="H0376" my|strong="H1961" men|strong="H0376" worked|strong="H4399" on|strong="H3117" the|strong="H0559" wall. The|strong="H0559" other|strong="H0376" half of|strong="H0376" my|strong="H1961" men|strong="H0376" were|strong="H1961" on|strong="H3117" guard|strong="H4929", ready with|strong="H0376" spears, shields, bows, and|strong="H3117" armor. The|strong="H0559" army|strong="H5971" officers stood behind all|strong="H3117" the|strong="H0559" people|strong="H5971" of|strong="H0376" Judah who|strong="H0376" were|strong="H1961" building the|strong="H0559" wall.
17 The|strong="H0834" builders and|strong="H0376" their|strong="H0310" helpers had|strong="H0834" their|strong="H0310" tools in|strong="H0376" one|strong="H0376" hand and|strong="H0376" a|strong="H0834" weapon|strong="H7973" in|strong="H0376" the|strong="H0834" other|strong="H0251" hand.
18 Each of the builders wore his sword at his side as he worked. The man who blew the trumpet to warn the people stayed next to me.
19 Then I spoke to the leading families, the officials, and the rest of the people. I said, “This is a very big job and we are spread out along the wall. We are far from one another.
20 So if you hear the trumpet, run to that place. We will all meet together there, and our God will fight for us!”
21 So we continued to work on the wall of Jerusalem, and half the men held spears. We worked from the first light of the morning until the stars came out at night.
22 At that time I also said this to the people, “Every builder and his helper must stay inside Jerusalem at night. Then they can be guards at night and workers during the day.”
23 So none of us took off our clothes—not me, not my brothers, not my men, and not the guards. Each of us had our weapon ready at all times, even when we went to get water.