The Work Ridiculed 1 WBS But it came to pass that when Sanballat heard that we were building the wall, he was wroth, and took great indignation, and 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 WBS And he spoke before his brethren, and the army of Samaria, and said, What do these feeble Jews? will they fortify themselves? will they sacrifice? will they make an end in a day? will they revive the stones out of the heaps of the rubbish which are burned? 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 WBS Now Tobiah the Ammonite was by him, and he said, Even that which they build, if a fox should go up, he would even break down their stone wall. 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 WBS Hear, O our God; for we are despised: and turn their reproach upon their own head, and give them for a prey in the land of captivity: 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 WBS And cover not their iniquity, and let not their sin be blotted out from before thee: for they have provoked thee to anger before the builders. 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 WBS So we built the wall; and all the wall was joined together to the half of it, for the people had a mind to work. 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 WBS But it came to pass, when Sanballat, and Tobiah, and the Arabians, and the Ammonites, and the Ashdodites, heard that the walls of Jerusalem were set up, and that the breaches began to be stopped, then they were very wroth, 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 WBS And conspired all of them together to come and to fight against Jerusalem, and to hinder it. BSB BSB: and all of them conspired to come and fight against Jerusalem and create a hindrance.
Discouragement Overcome 9 WBS Nevertheless we made our prayer to our God, and set a watch against them day and night, because of them. BSB BSB: So we prayed to our God and posted a guard against them day and night.
10 WBS And Judah said, The strength of the bearers of burdens is decayed, and there is much rubbish; so that we are not able to build 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 WBS And our adversaries said, They shall not know, neither see, till we come in the midst among them, and slay them, and cause the work to cease. 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 WBS And it came to pass, that when the Jews who dwelt by them came, they said to us ten times, From all places whence ye shall return to us they will be upon you . 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 WBS Therefore I set in the lower places behind the wall, and on the higher places, I even set the people after their families with their swords, their spears, and their bows. 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 WBS And I looked, and arose, and said to the nobles, and to the rulers, and to the rest of the people, Be ye not afraid of them: remember the LORD who is great and terrible, and fight for your brethren, your sons, and your daughters, your wives, and your houses. 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 WBS And it came to pass, when our enemies heard that it was known to us, and God had brought their counsel to naught, that we returned all of us to the wall, every one to his work. 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 WBS And it came to pass, from that time forth, that the half of my servants wrought in the work, and the other half of them held both the spears, the shields, and the bows, and the habergeons; and the rulers were behind all the house 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 WBS They who built on the wall, and they that bore burdens, with those that laded, every one with one of his hands wrought in the work, and with the other hand held a weapon. BSB BSB: who were rebuilding the wall. The laborers who carried materials worked with one hand and held a weapon with the other.
18 WBS For the builders, every one had his sword girded by his side, and so built. And he that sounded the trumpet was by me. BSB BSB: And each of the builders worked with his sword strapped at his side. But the trumpeter stayed beside me.
19 WBS And I said to the nobles, and to the rulers, and to the rest of the people, The work is great and large, and we are separated upon the wall, one far from another. 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 WBS In what place therefore ye hear the sound of the trumpet, resort ye thither to us: 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 WBS So we labored in the work: and half of them held the spears from the rising of the morning till the stars appeared. 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 WBS Likewise at the same time said I to the people, Let every one with his servant lodge within Jerusalem, that in the night they may be a guard to us, and labor in the day. 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 WBS So neither I, nor my brethren, nor my servants, nor the men of the guard who followed me, none of us put off our clothes, saving that every one put them off for washing. 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.