Nehemiah 4

Work Is Ridiculed

4Now it came about that when Sanballat heard that we were rebuilding the wall, he became furious and very angry and mocked the Jews.H5571H8085H1129H2346H2734H7235H3707H3932H30642And he spoke in the presence of his brothers and the wealthy [men] of Samaria and said, "What are these feeble Jews doing? Are they going to restore [it] for themselves? Can they offer sacrifices? Can they finish in a day? Can they revive the stones from the dusty rubble even the burned ones?"H559H6440H251H2428H8111H559H6213H537H3064H5800H2076H3615H3117H2421H68H6194H6083H83133Now Tobiah the Ammonite [was] near him and he said, "Even what they are building— if a fox should jump on [it,] he would break their stone wall down!"H2900H5984H681H559H1129H7776H5927H6555H68H23464Hear, O our God, how we are despised! Return their reproach on their own heads and give them up for plunder in a land of captivity.H8085H430H939H7725H2781H7218H5414H961H776H76335Do not forgive their iniquity and let not their sin be blotted out before Thee, for they have demoralized the builders.H3680H5771H2403H4229H6440H3707H11296So we built the wall and the whole wall was joined together to half its [height,] for the people had a mind to work.H1129H2346H2346H7194H2677H5971H3820H62137Now it came about when Sanballat, Tobiah, the Arabs, the Ammonites, and the Ashdodites heard that the repair of the walls of Jerusalem went on, [and] that the breaches began to be closed, they were very angry.H5571H2900H6163H5984H796H8085H2346H3389H724H5927H6555H2490H5640H3966H27348And all of them conspired together to come [and] fight against Jerusalem and to cause a disturbance in it.H7194H3162H935H3898H3389H6213H8442

Discouragement Overcome

9But we prayed to our God, and because of them we set up a guard against them day and night.H6419H430H5975H4929H3119H3915H644010Thus in Judah it was said, "The strength of the burden bearers is failing, Yet there is much rubbish; And we ourselves are unable To rebuild the wall."H3063H559H3581H5449H3782H7235H6083H3201H1129H234611And our enemies said, "They will not know or see until we come among them, kill them, and put a stop to the work."H6862H559H3045H7200H935H8432H8432H2026H4399H767312And it came about when the Jews who lived near them came and told us ten times, "They will come up against us from every place where you may turn,"H3064H3427H681H935H559H6235H6471H4725H772513then I stationed [men] in the lowest parts of the space behind the wall, the exposed places, and I stationed the people in families with their swords, spears, and bows.H5975H8482H4725H310H2346H6706H6708H5975H5971H4940H2719H7420H719814When I saw [their fear,] I rose and spoke 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, your daughters, your wives, and your houses."H7200H6965H559H2715H5461H3499H5971H3372H6440H2142H136H1419H3372H3898H251H1121H1323H802H100415And it happened when our enemies heard that it was known to us, and that God had frustrated their plan, then all of us returned to the wall, each one to his work.H341H8085H3045H430H6565H6098H6565H7725H2346H376H439916And it came about from that day on, that half of my servants carried on the work while half of them held the spears, the shields, the bows, and the breastplates; and the captains [were] behind the whole house of Judah.H3117H2677H5288H6213H4399H2677H2388H7420H4043H7198H8302H8269H310H1004H306317Those who were rebuilding the wall and those who carried burdens took [their] load with one hand doing the work and the other holding a weapon.H1129H2346H5375H5447H6006H259H3027H6213H4399H259H2388H797318As for the builders, each [wore] his sword girded at his side as he built, while the trumpeter [stood] near me.H1129H376H2719H631H4975H1129H8628H7782H68119And I said to the nobles, the officials, and the rest of the people, "The work is great and extensive, and we are separated on the wall far from one another.H559H2715H5461H3499H5971H4399H7235H7342H6504H2346H376H7350H25120"At whatever place you hear the sound of the trumpet, rally to us there. Our God will fight for us."H4725H8085H6963H7782H6908H430H389821So we carried on the work with half of them holding spears from dawn until the stars appeared.H6213H4399H2677H2388H7420H5927H7837H3556H331822At that time I also said to the people, "Let each man with his servant spend the night within Jerusalem so that they may be a guard for us by night and a laborer by day."H6256H559H5971H376H5288H3885H8432H3389H3915H4929H4399H311723So neither I, my brothers, my servants, nor the men of the guard who followed me, none of us removed our clothes, each [took] his weapon [even to] the water.H251H5288H582H4929H310H587H6584H899H376H7973H4325