1While the enemies are angry, and scoff, Nehemiah prayeth to God, and buildeth the wall. 7Understanding their secret plottings, he setteth a watch. 13He armeth the labourers, and giveth instructions how to proceed in case of an alarm.
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1But it came to pass, that when Sanballat heard that we builded the wall, he 1was wroth, and took great indignation, and mocked the Jews.
2And he spake before his brethren and the army of Samaria, and said, What do these 1feeble Jews? will they afortify themselves? will they sacrifice? will they make an end in a day? will they 2revive the stones out of the heaps of the rubbish which are burned?
3Now 1Tobiah the Ammonite was by him, and he said, Even that which they build, if a 2fox go up, he shall even break down their stone wall.
4Hear, O our God; 1for we are adespised: and 2turn their reproach upon their own head, and give them for a prey in the land of captivity:
5And 1cover not their iniquity, and let not their sin be blotted out from before thee: for they have provoked thee to anger 2before the builders.
6So built we the wall; and all the wall was joined together unto the half thereof: for 1the people had a mind to work.
7¶ But it came to pass, 1that when Sanballat, and Tobiah, and the Arabians, and the Ammonites, and the Ashdodites, heard that the walls of Jerusalem were amade up, and that the breaches began to be stopped, then 2they were very wroth,
8And conspired all of them together to come and to fight against Jerusalem, and ato hinder it.
9Nevertheless we 1made our prayer unto our God, and set a watch against them day and night, because of them.
10And Judah said, 1The strength of the bearers of burdens is decayed, and there is much rubbish; so that we are not able to build the wall.
11And our adversaries said, 1They shall not know, neither see, till we come in the midst among them, and slay them, and cause the work to cease.
12And it came to pass, that when the 1Jews which dwelt by them came, they said 2unto us ten times, aFrom all places whence ye shall return unto us they will be upon you.
13¶ Therefore 1set I ain the lower places behind the wall, and on the higher places, I even set the people after their families with their 2swords, their spears, and their bows.
14And I looked, and rose up, and said unto the nobles, and to the rulers, and to the rest of the people, 1Be not ye afraid of them: 2remember the Lord, which is great and terrible, and 3fight for your brethren, your sons, and your daughters, your wives, and your houses.
15And it came to pass, when our enemies heard that it was known unto us, and God 1had brought their counsel to nought, that we returned all of us to the wall, every one unto his work.
16And it came to pass from that time forth, that the half of my servants 1wrought in the work, and the other half of them held both the 2spears, the shields, and the bows, and the habergeons; and the rulers were behind all the 3house of Judah.
17They which builded on the wall, and they that bare burdens, with those that laded, every one1with one of his hands wrought in the work, and with the other hand held a weapon.
18For the builders, every one had his sword girded aby his side, and so builded. And he that sounded the trumpet was by me.
19¶ And 1I said unto 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.
20In what place therefore ye hear the sound of the trumpet, resort ye thither unto us: 1our God shall fight for us.
21So we 1laboured in the work: and half of them held the spears from the rising of the morning till the stars appeared.
22Likewise at the same time said I unto the people, Let every one with his servant lodge within Jerusalem, that in the night they may be a guard to us, and labour on the day.
23So neither 1I, nor my brethren, nor my servants, nor the men of the guard which followed me, none of us put off our clothes, asaving that every one put them off for washing.