1 ARST When Sanballat heard that we were rebuilding the{ city} wall, he became furious, and he mocked the Jews. BSB BSB: Now when Sanballat heard that we were rebuilding the wall, he was furious and filled with indignation. He ridiculed the Jews
2 ARST He spoke to the{ other provincial} officials and army officers. He said,“These weak Jews will not be able to accomplish anything! They will never restore{ the city! Their God} will not help them. They do not realize what a long time it would take to repair{ that wall. The only way} they can get stones{ is} by pulling them out of rubbish heaps. And{ the Babylonians} burned{ the city, so those} stones are probably weak{ anyway}.” BSB BSB: before his associates and the army of Samaria, saying, “What are these feeble Jews doing? Can they restore the wall by themselves? Will they offer sacrifices? Will they complete it in a day? Can they bring these burnt stones back to life from the mounds of rubble?”
3 ARST Tobiah the Ammonite was standing beside Sanballat. He made fun of the Jews by saying,“Right! The wall that they are building{ is so weak} that if a fox walked across the top{ of it}, it would fall down!” BSB BSB: Then Tobiah the Ammonite, who was beside him, said, “If even a fox were to climb up on what they are building, it would break down their wall of stones!”
4 ARST { When I heard about what they were saying, I prayed to God and said,}“O our God, listen{ to the way} they are mocking us! Make{ them fail in their attempts to stop us,} so that{ other} people will mock them! Allow their enemies to capture them and force them to go to a foreign land! BSB BSB: Hear us, O God, for we are despised. Turn their scorn back upon their own heads, and let them be taken as plunder to a land of captivity.
5 ARST { They are guilty, and they have sinned against you.} Do not take away their guilt, and do not ignore their sin!{ I am asking this} because they are also causing others to be angry at the people who are rebuilding the wall!” BSB BSB: Do not cover up their iniquity or let their sin be blotted out from Your sight, for they have provoked the builders.
6 ARST But we kept building the wall,{ and after some time,} we finished the wall around the whole city to about half the necessary height. Everyone was determined to accomplish this. BSB BSB: So we rebuilt the wall until all of it was joined together up to half its height, for the people had a mind to work.
7 ARST But when Sanballat, Tobiah, the men from{ the land of} Arabia, the men from{ the nation of} Ammon, and the men from{ the city of} Ashdod heard that we were continuing to repair the wall of Jerusalem and to fill in the gaps, they became furious. BSB BSB: When Sanballat and Tobiah, together with the Arabs, Ammonites, and Ashdodites, heard that the repair to the walls of Jerusalem was progressing and that the gaps were being closed, they were furious,
8 ARST All of them together made a plan to come and fight against the people of Jerusalem. They wanted to make the people inside the city confused{ and divided}. BSB BSB: and all of them conspired to come and fight against Jerusalem and create a hindrance.
9 ARST But we prayed to our God{ to protect us}, and we stationed lookouts{ on the walls} at all times to watch out for them. BSB BSB: So we prayed to our God and posted a guard against them day and night.
10 ARST Then the people of Judah started saying,“The people who are carrying{ the stones} are getting worn out. There is too much rubbish. We are not going to be able to{ finish} rebuilding the wall.” BSB BSB: Meanwhile, the people of Judah said: “The strength of the laborer fails, and there is so much rubble that we will never be able to rebuild the wall.”
11 ARST Then our enemies{ started} saying,“Before{ the Jews} know we are coming, we will rush{ down} on them and kill them and stop their work{ on the wall}!’” BSB BSB: And our enemies said, “Before they know or see a thing, we will come into their midst, kill them, and put an end to the work.”
12 ARST And when some of the Jews who lived near{ our enemies} came{ to Jerusalem}, they pleaded with us repeatedly,“Let{ our men} return{ home so} they{ can defend} us!” BSB BSB: At that time the Jews who lived nearby came and told us ten times over, “Wherever you turn, they will attack us.”
13 ARST But I put{ guards} behind the wall at the places where it was low or where there were gaps. I also had people from each family group stand{ guard} with their swords, spears, and bows and arrows. BSB BSB: So I stationed men behind the lowest sections of the wall, at the vulnerable areas. I stationed them by families with their swords, spears, and bows.
14 ARST After I had inspected{ everything}, I summoned the leading citizens and the city officials and many of the other people, and I said to them,“Do not be afraid of our enemies! The Lord is great and awesome,{ so} think about{ what he can do}. And fight to{ protect} your families, your sons and daughters, your wives, and your homes!” BSB BSB: After I had made an inspection, I stood up and said 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 and your daughters, your wives and your homes.”
15 ARST When our enemies learned that we had found out about{ their plan}, they realized that God had kept them{ from launching a surprise attack}.{ They decided not to attack us.} So we all went back to{ working on} the wall. Each person continued doing{ the same} work{ as before}. BSB BSB: When our enemies heard that we were aware of their scheme and that God had frustrated it, each of us returned to his own work on the wall.
16 ARST But after that,{ only} half of my servants worked{ on the wall}. The other half of them{ stood guard} armed with spears, shields, bows and arrows, and metal armor. Officers{ stood} behind the workers and guards{ to encourage everyone and to give orders in case there was an attack}. BSB BSB: And from that day on, half of my servants did the work while the other half held spears, shields, bows, and armor. The officers stationed themselves behind all the people of Judah
17 ARST Those who were building the wall and those who carried the heavy loads{ always} had their weapons with them{ so that they would be prepared to fight off an attack}. BSB BSB: who were rebuilding the wall. The laborers who carried materials worked with one hand and held a weapon with the other.
18 ARST Each builder worked with his sword strapped to his side.{ I stationed} someone next to me who would blow a ram’ s horn{ if we needed a signal}. BSB BSB: And each of the builders worked with his sword strapped at his side. But the trumpeter stayed beside me.
19 ARST Then I said to the leading citizens, the city officials, and many of the other people,“We are working over a very wide area, and we are far apart from each other along the wall. BSB BSB: Then I said to the nobles, the officials, and the rest of the people: “The work is great and extensive, and we are spread out far from one another along the wall.
20 ARST But wherever you hear{ the man} sounding the ram’ s horn, gather around us at that place. Our God will fight for us!” BSB BSB: Wherever you hear the sound of the horn, rally to us there. Our God will fight for us!”
21 ARST So we continued to work{ on rebuilding the wall}. Half of the men{ served as guards} and kept their weapons ready at{ all} times. BSB BSB: So we continued the work, while half of the men held spears from the break of dawn until the stars came out.
22 ARST At that time, I also said to the people,“Each{ worker} and his servant must spend the night inside Jerusalem{ and not go home if they live outside the city}.{ That way} the city will have plenty of defenders{ even} at night, and they can{ still} work{ on the wall} during the daytime.” BSB BSB: At that time I also said to the people, “Let every man and his servant spend the night inside Jerusalem, so that they can stand guard by night and work by day.”
23 ARST { During that time} none of us took off our clothes. I did not, and my brothers, my servants, and my personal bodyguard did not. Each of us{ always had} our weapons{ with us},{ even when we were washing ourselves}. BSB BSB: So neither I nor my brothers nor my servants nor the guards with me changed out of our clothes; each carried his weapon, even to go for water.
Select verses for actions: Enter goes to them and Escape comes back.