Nehemiah Chapter 4 (NASB)

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undefined Now it came about that when Sanballat heard that we were rebuilding the wall, he became furious and very angry and mocked the Jews.

undefined He spoke in the presence of his brothers and the wealthy [men] of Samaria and said, 'What are these feeble Jews doing? Are they going to restore [it] for themselves? Can they offer sacrifices? Can they finish in a day? Can they revive the stones from the dusty rubble even the burned ones?'

undefined Now Tobiah the Ammonite [was] near him and he said, 'Even what they are building-- if a fox should jump on [it], he would break their stone wall down!'

undefined Hear, O our God, how we are despised! Return their reproach on their own heads and give them up for plunder in a land of captivity.

undefined Do not forgive their iniquity and let not their sin be blotted out before You, for they have demoralized the builders.

undefined So we built the wall and the whole wall was joined together to half its [height], for the people had a mind to work.

undefined Now when Sanballat, Tobiah, the Arabs, the Ammonites and the Ashdodites heard that the repair of the walls of Jerusalem went on, [and] that the breaches began to be closed, they were very angry.

undefined All of them conspired together to come [and] fight against Jerusalem and to cause a disturbance in it.

undefined But we prayed to our God, and because of them we set up a guard against them day and night.

undefined Thus in Judah it was said, 'The strength of the burden bearers is failing, Yet there is much rubbish; And we ourselves are unable To rebuild the wall.'

undefined Our enemies said, 'They will not know or see until we come among them, kill them and put a stop to the work.'

undefined When the Jews who lived near them came and told us ten times, 'They will come up against us from every place where you may turn,'

undefined then I stationed [men] in the lowest parts of the space behind the wall, the exposed places, and I stationed the people in families with their swords, spears and bows.

undefined When I saw [their fear], I rose and spoke to the nobles, the officials and the rest of the people: 'Do not be afraid of them; remember the Lord who is great and awesome, and fight for your brothers, your sons, your daughters, your wives and your houses.'

undefined When our enemies heard that it was known to us, and that God had frustrated their plan, then all of us returned to the wall, each one to his work.

undefined From that day on, half of my servants carried on the work while half of them held the spears, the shields, the bows and the breastplates; and the captains [were] behind the whole house of Judah.

undefined Those who were rebuilding the wall and those who carried burdens took [their] load with one hand doing the work and the other holding a weapon.

undefined As for the builders, each [wore] his sword girded at his side as he built, while the trumpeter [stood] near me.

undefined I said to the nobles, the officials and the rest of the people, 'The work is great and extensive, and we are separated on the wall far from one another.

undefined 'At whatever place you hear the sound of the trumpet, rally to us there. Our God will fight for us.'

undefined So we carried on the work with half of them holding spears from dawn until the stars appeared.

undefined At that time I also said to the people, 'Let each man with his servant spend the night within Jerusalem so that they may be a guard for us by night and a laborer by day.'

undefined So neither I, my brothers, my servants, nor the men of the guard who followed me, none of us removed our clothes, each [took] his weapon [even to] the water.

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