1 But it came1961 to pass, that when834 Sanballat5571 heard8085 that we built1129 the wall,2346 he was wroth,2734 and took great7235 indignation,3707 and mocked3932 the Jews.3064

2 And he spoke559 before6440 his brothers251 and the army2428 of Samaria,8111 and said,559 What4100 do6213 these feeble537 Jews?3064 will they fortify5800 themselves?1992 will they sacrifice?2076 will they make an end3615 in a day?3117 will they revive2421 the stones68 out of the heaps6194 of the rubbish6083 which1992 are burned?8313

3 Now Tobiah2900 the Ammonite5984 was by him, and he said,559 Even1571 that which834 they build,1129 if518 a fox7776 go5927 up, he shall even break6565 down their stone68 wall.2346

4 Hear,8085 O our God;430 for we are despised:939 and turn7725 their reproach2781 on their own head,7218 and give5414 them for a prey961 in the land776 of captivity:7633

5 And cover3680 not their iniquity,5771 and let not their sin2408 be blotted4229 out from before6440 you: for they have provoked you to anger3707 before5048 the builders.1129

6 So built1129 we the wall;2346 and all3605 the wall2346 was joined7194 together to the half2677 thereof: for the people5971 had1961 a mind3820 to work.6213

7 But it came1961 to pass, that when834 Sanballat,5571 and Tobiah,2900 and the Arabians,6163 and the Ammonites,5984 and the Ashdodites,796 heard8085 that the walls2346 of Jerusalem3389 were made5927 752 up, and that the breaches6555 began2490 to be stopped,5640 then they were very3966 wroth,2734

8 And conspired7194 all3605 of them together3162 to come935 and to fight3898 against Jerusalem,3389 and to hinder6213 8442 it.

9 Nevertheless we made our prayer6419 to our God,430 and set5975 a watch4929 against5921 them day3119 and night,3915 because6440 of them.

10 And Judah3063 said,559 The strength3581 of the bearers5449 of burdens5449 is decayed,3782 and there is much7235 rubbish;6083 so that we are not able3201 to build1129 the wall.2346

11 And our adversaries6862 said,559 They shall not know,3045 neither3808 see,7200 till5704 we come935 in the middle8432 among8432 them, and slay2026 them, and cause the work4399 to cease.7673

12 And it came1961 to pass, that when834 the Jews3064 which dwelled3427 by them came,935 they said559 to us ten6235 times,6471 From all3605 places4725 from where834 you shall return7725 to us they will be on you.

13 Therefore set5975 I in the lower8482 places4725 behind310 the wall,2346 and on the higher6706 places, I even set5975 the people5971 after their families4940 with their swords,2719 their spears,7420 and their bows.7198

14 And I looked,6437 and rose6965 up, and said559 to the nobles,2715 and to the rulers,5461 and to the rest3499 of the people,5971 Be not you afraid3372 of them: remember2142 the LORD,136 which is great1419 and terrible,3372 and fight3898 for your brothers,251 your sons,1121 and your daughters,1323 your wives,802 and your houses.1004

15 And it came1961 to pass, when834 our enemies341 heard8085 that it was known3045 to us, and God430 had brought6565 their counsel6098 to nothing,6565 that we returned7725 all3605 of us to the wall,2346 every376 one376 to his work.4399

16 And it came1961 to pass from that time3117 forth, that the half2677 of my servants5288 worked6213 in the work,4399 and the other half2677 of them held2388 both the spears,7420 the shields,4043 and the bows,7198 and the habergeons;8302 and the rulers8269 were behind310 all3605 the house1004 of Judah.3063

17 They which built1129 on the wall,2346 and they that bore5375 burdens,5447 with those that laded,6006 every376 one259 with one of his hands3027 worked6213 in the work,4399 and with the other259 hand held2388 a weapon.7973

18 For the builders,1129 every376 one376 had his sword2719 girded631 by his side,4975 and so built.1129 And he that sounded8628 the trumpet7782 was by me.

19 And I said559 to the nobles,2715 and to the rulers,5461 and to the rest3499 of the people,5971 The work4399 is great7235 and large,7342 and we are separated6504 on the wall,2346 one far7350 from another.251

20 In what834 place4725 therefore you hear8085 the sound6963 of the trumpet,7782 resort6908 you thither8033 to us: our God430 shall fight3898 for us.

21 So we labored6213 in the work:4399 and half2677 of them held2388 the spears7420 from the rising5927 of the morning7837 till5704 the stars3556 appeared.3318

22 Likewise1571 at the same1931 time6256 said559 I to the people,5971 Let every376 one376 with his servant5288 lodge3885 within8432 Jerusalem,3389 that in the night3915 they may be a guard4929 to us, and labor4399 on the day.3117

23 So neither369 I, nor my brothers,251 nor my servants,5288 nor the men582 of the guard4929 which834 followed310 me, none369 of us put6584 off our clothes,899 saving that every376 one376 put7973 them off for washing.4325