Nehemiah 4

NEW JERUSALEM	KING JAMES BIBLE
1 When Sanbal at, Tobiah, the Arabs, the Ammonites and the Ashdodites heard that repairs to the wallsof Jerusalem were going forward -- that the gaps were beginning to fill up -- they became very angry,	1 But it came to pass, that when Sanballat heard that we builded the wall, he was wroth, and took great indignation, and mocked the Jews.
2 and they al plotted to come and attack Jerusalem and upset my plans.	2 And he spake 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?
3 We, however, prayed to our God and organised a guard day and night to protect the city from them.	3 Now Tobiah the Ammonite was by him, and he said, Even that which they build, if a fox go up, he shall even break down their stone wall.
4 But in Judah the saying went, 'The strength of the carrier falters, the rubbish heap is so vast that byourselves we cannot rebuild the wal !'	4 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:
5 And our opponents said, 'They wil never know or see a thing, until we are in there among them, andthen we shall massacre them and put a stop to the work.'	5 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.
6 Now when the Jews who lived near them had warned us ten times over, 'They are coming up againstus from every place they live in,'	6 So built we the wall; and all the wall was joined together unto the half thereof: for the people had a mind to work.
7 men took up position in the space behind the wal at those points where it was lowest, and I organisedthe people by families with their swords, spears and bows.	7 But it came to pass, that when Sanballat, and Tobiah, and the Arabians, and the Ammonites, and the Ashdodites, heard that the walls of Jerusalem were made up, and that the breaches began to be stopped, then they were very wroth,
8 Aware of their anxiety, I then addressed the nobles, the officials and the rest of the people, 'Do not beafraid of them. Remember the great and awe-inspiring Lord and fight for your kinsmen, your sons, yourdaughters, your wives and your homes.'	8 And conspired all of them together to come and to fight against Jerusalem, and to hinder it.
9 Once our enemies heard that we were forewarned and that God had thwarted their plan, they withdrewand we al went back to the wal , each one to his work.	9 Nevertheless we made our prayer unto our God, and set a watch against them day and night, because of them.
10 From then on, half my own retainers went on working, while the other half stood by, armed withspears, shields, bows and armour to protect the whole House of Judah as they rebuilt the wall.	10 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.
11 The carriers were armed, working with one hand and holding a spear in the other.	11 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.
12 Each builder had his sword strapped to his side as he built. Beside me stood a trumpeter.	12 And it came to pass, that when the Jews which dwelt by them came, they said unto us ten times, From all places whence ye shall return unto us they will be upon you.
13 I then said to the nobles, the officials and the rest of the people, 'The work is great and widely spreadout, and we are deployed along the wall some way from one another.	13 Therefore set I 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.
14 Rally to us wherever you hear the trumpet sounding; our God wil fight for us.'	14 And I looked, and rose up, and said unto the nobles, and to the rulers, and to the rest of the people, Be not ye afraid of them: remember the Lord, which is great and terrible, and fight for your brethren, your sons, and your daughters, your wives, and your houses.
15 And so we went on with the work from break of day until the stars came out.	15 And it came to pass, when our enemies heard that it was known unto us, and God had brought their counsel to nought, that we returned all of us to the wall, every one unto his work.
16 At the same time I also told the people, 'Let every man, with his attendant, spend the night insideJerusalem; we shal spend the night on guard and the day at work.'	16 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.
17 Neither I, nor my brothers, nor my attendants, nor my bodyguards, ever took off our clothes; each onekept his spear in his right hand.	17 They which builded on the wall, and they that bare burdens, with those that laded, every one with one of his hands wrought in the work, and with the other hand held a weapon.
	18 For the builders, every one had his sword girded by his side, and so builded. And he that sounded the trumpet was by me.
	19 And I 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.
	20 In what place therefore ye hear the sound of the trumpet, resort ye thither unto us: our God shall fight for us.
	21 So we laboured in the work: and half of them held the spears from the rising of the morning till the stars appeared.
	22 Likewise 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.
	23 So neither I, nor my brethren, nor my servants, nor the men of the guard which followed me, none of us put off our clothes, saving that every one put them off for washing.