The Work Ridiculed 1 UDB When Sanballat heard that we were rebuilding the city wall, the fact that they were rebuilding Jerusalem burned like a fire within him, and he was furious and he spoke of the Jews with disgust. BSB BSB: Now when Sanballat heard that we were rebuilding the wall, he was furious and filled with indignation. He ridiculed the Jews
2 UDB While his counselors and officials of the army troops who had come from Samaria were listening he said, "These Jews can hardly stand on their own legs, what do they think they are doing? Will they rebuild the city and live in it themselves? Will they restore the temple and the all the sacrifices that the priests gave to Yahweh? Will they finish such a great work in only a day? Will they turn these burned and useless rocks into useful material to rebuilt the wall and will they bring life to the city again? 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 UDB Tobiah was standing beside Sanballat. He said, "That wall they are building is so weak that even if a little fox climbed up on it, their stone wall would fall to the ground!" 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 UDB Then I prayed. I said, "Our God, hear us, because they are ridiculing us! Cause the words of their insults to fall back on themselves! Allow their enemies to come and 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 UDB They are guilty. Do not take away their guilt and let them answer for the sin they committed before you. With their insults, they are making those who are rebuilding the walls become very angry!" 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 UDB But after some time, the workers built the wall around the whole city to about half its total height. They were able to accomplish this because they wanted to do the best work they could do. 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 UDB But when Sanballat, Tobiah, the Arabians, the Ammonites, and the Ashdodites heard that the work on the wall was continuing and that we were filling in the gaps in the wall, they became very angry. 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 UDB They all made a plan together to come and fight against the people of Jerusalem, and to cause confusion within it. BSB BSB: and all of them conspired to come and fight against Jerusalem and create a hindrance.
Discouragement Overcome 9 UDB But we prayed to our God to protect us, and we put men around the walls to guard the city day and night because of these who were so angry with us for rebuilding the wall. BSB BSB: So we prayed to our God and posted a guard against them day and night.
10 UDB Then the people of Judah started to say, "The men who are working on the wall have used up all their strength. There is too much heavy rubble that we must move away; we are not able to finish this work. It is too much for us. 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 UDB Besides, our enemies are saying, 'Before the Jews see us, 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 UDB The Jews who were living near our enemies came and told us many times, to warn us about the wicked plans our enemies were planning to carry out against 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 UDB So I put people from each of the families to stand guard at the wall. They were put at the lowest points of the wall, at the places where the wall would be most easily crossed over. They would protect it with their swords, their spears, and their 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 UDB Then after I inspected everything, I summoned the leaders and other officials and many of the other people, and I said to them, "Do not be afraid of our enemies! Keep in mind God is great and glorious! 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 UDB Our enemies heard that we knew what they were planning to do and that God had spoiled all their plans to stop our work. So we all returned to work on the wall, at the same places we were working 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 UDB But after that, only half of the men there were doing the work on the wall. The others stood there holding their spears, shields, bows and arrows, and wearing armor for protection. The leaders stood guard behind the people of Judah. 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 UDB Those who were building the wall and those who carried the heavy loads on their backs, all of them built the wall with one hand and held a weapon in the other hand. BSB BSB: who were rebuilding the wall. The laborers who carried materials worked with one hand and held a weapon with the other.
18 UDB All who were building the wall had his sword fastened to his side. The man who would blow the trumpet if our enemies attacked was standing at my side. BSB BSB: And each of the builders worked with his sword strapped at his side. But the trumpeter stayed beside me.
19 UDB Then I said to the officials, the other important men, and the other people, "This is a huge job, 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 UDB If you hear the man blowing the trumpet, gather around 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 UDB So we continued to work. Half of the men continued to hold their spears all day, from when the sun rose in the morning until the stars appeared at night. 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 UDB At that time, I also said to the people, "Tell every worker and his helper that they must stay inside Jerusalem at night. By doing that, they can guard us at night, and they can 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 UDB During that time, I did not put away my clothing, and I always carried my weapon The same was true of my brothers, my servants, and the men who followed me and served as guards. All of us did the same, even if we just went to get a drink of water. 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.