Nehemiah 4
4
Nehemiah’s Enemies Oppose the Rebuilding
1Sanballat heard that we were rebuilding the wall. So he became very angry and upset. He made fun of the Jews. 2He spoke to his friends and the army of Samaria. He said, “What are those Jews trying to do? Can they make their city wall like new again? Will they offer sacrifices? Can they finish everything in a single day? The stones from their city wall and buildings are piled up like trash. And everything has been badly burned. Can they use those stones to rebuild everything again?”
3Tobiah from Ammon was at Sanballat’s side. He said, “What are they building? They’re putting up a stone wall. But suppose a fox climbs on top of it. Even that will break it down!”
4I prayed to God. I said, “Our God, please listen to our prayer. Some people hate us. They’re saying bad things about us. So let others say bad things about them. Let them be carried off like stolen goods. Let them be taken to another country as prisoners. 5Don’t hide your eyes from their guilt. Don’t forgive their sins. They have said bad things about the builders.”
6So we rebuilt the wall. We repaired it until all of it was half as high as we wanted it to be. The people worked with all their heart.
7But Sanballat and Tobiah heard that Jerusalem’s walls continued to be repaired. The Arabs, the Ammonites and the people of Ashdod heard about it too. They heard that the gaps in the wall were being filled in. So they were very angry. 8All of them made evil plans to come and fight against Jerusalem. They wanted to stir up trouble against it. 9But we prayed to our God. We put guards on duty day and night to watch out for danger.
10During that time, the people in Judah spoke up. They said, “The workers are getting weaker and weaker all the time. Broken stones are piled up everywhere. They are in our way. So we can’t rebuild the wall.”
11And our enemies said, “We will be right there among them. We’ll kill them. We’ll put an end to their work. We’ll do it before they even know it or see us.”
12Then the Jews who lived near our enemies came to us. They told us ten times, “No matter where you are, they’ll attack us.”
13So I stationed some people behind the lowest parts of the wall. That’s where our enemies could easily attack us. I stationed the people family by family. They had their swords, spears and bows with them. 14I looked things over. Then I stood up and spoke to the nobles, the officials and the rest of the people. I said, “Don’t be afraid of your enemies. Remember the Lord. He is great and powerful. So fight for your families. Fight for your sons and daughters. Fight for your wives and homes.”
15Our enemies heard that we knew what they were trying to do. They heard that God had blocked their evil plans. So all of us returned to the wall. Each of us did our own work.
16From that day on, half of my men did the work. The other half were given spears, shields, bows and armor. The officers stationed themselves behind all the people of Judah. 17The people continued to build the wall. The people who carried supplies did their work with one hand. They held a weapon in the other hand. 18Each of the builders wore his sword at his side as he worked. But the man who blew the trumpet stayed with me.
19Then I spoke to the nobles, the officials and the rest of the people. I said, “This is a big job. It covers a lot of territory. We’re separated too far from one another along the wall. 20When you hear the sound of the trumpet, join us at that location. Our God will fight for us!”
21So we continued the work. Half of the men held spears. We worked from the first light of sunrise until the stars came out at night. 22At that time I also spoke to the people. I told them, “Have every man and his helper stay inside Jerusalem at night. Then they can guard us at night. And they can work during the day.” 23My relatives and I didn’t take off our clothes. My men and the guards didn’t take theirs off either. Each man kept his weapon with him, even when he went to get water.
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Nehemiah 4: NIrV
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Nechemyah 4
4
1 But it came to pass, that when Sanvalat heard that we were rebuilding the Chomah, he was angered, took great indignation, mocked the Yehudim.
2 And he spoke before his brethren and the army of Shomron, and said, What do these feeble Yehudim? Will they fortify themselves? Will they sacrifice? Will they finish in a day? Will they revive the avanim out of the heaps of the burned rubble?
3 Now Toviyah the Ammoni was by him, and he said, Even that which they build, if a fox climb up on it, even he shall break down their chomat avanim.
4 Shema, Eloheinu, for we are despised; turn their insults upon their own head, and give them as plunder in a land of captivity;
5 And cover not their avon, and let not their chattat be blotted out from before thee, for they threw insults in the face of HaBonim.
6 So we rebuilt HaChomah, and kol HaChomah was joined together unto half the height thereof, for HaAm had a mind to work.
7 But it came to pass, that when Sanvalat, and Toviyah, and the Arabs, and the Ammonim, and the Ashdodim, heard about the Chomat Yerushalayim, that its repairs had gone ahead, and that the gaps began to be closed up, then they were very angry,
8 And they plotted all of them together to come and to fight against Yerushalayim, and to hinder it.
9 Nevertheless we davened unto Eloheinu, and set a watch against them yomam valailah, because of them.
10 And Yehudah said, The koach of the bearers of burdens is giving out, and there is much rubble, so that we are not able to rebuild the Chomah (Wall).
11 And our adversaries said, They shall have no da'as, neither see, till we come in the midst among them, and slay them, and cause the melachah (work) to cease.
12 And it came to pass, that when the Yehudim which dwelt near them came, they said unto us eser pe'amim, Wherever ye turn, they will be upon us.
13 Therefore set I behind the lower places of the Chomah, and on the exposed places, I even set HaAm by their mishpekhot with their swords, their spears, and their bows.
14 And I looked, and rose up, and said unto the Nobles, and to the Officials, and to the rest of HaAm, Be not ye afraid of them. Remember Adonoi HaGadol vHaNorah, and fight for your achim, your banim, and your banot, your nashim, and your batim.
15 And it came to pass, when our enemies were aware that it was known unto us, and HaElohim had brought their etzah (plan) to nought, that we returned all of us to HaChomah, every one unto his melachah (work).
16 And it came to pass from that day forth, that half of my men did the melachah, and the other half of them held the spears, the shields, and the bows, and the body armor; and the officials posted themselves behind Kol Bais Yehudah
17 Who were HaBonim BaChomah. And they that bore burdens, carried their loads such that each one with one of his hands did the melachah, and with the other hand held a weapon.
18 For the Bonim, every one had his cherev girded by his side, and so built. And he that sounded the shofar was by me.
19 And I said unto the Nobles, and to the Officials, and to the rest of haAm, The melachah is great and spread out, and we are separated along the Chomah, one far from another.
20 In what place therefore ye hear the kol haShofar, rally ye thither unto us; Eloheinu shall fight for us.
21 So we labored in the melachah, and half of them held the spears from the break of dawn till the kokhavim appeared.
22 Likewise at the same time said I unto HaAm, Let every one with his servant lodge within Yerushalayim, that in halailah they may be a mishmar (guard) to us, and at hayom a melachah (workman).
23 So neither I, nor my brethren, nor my men, nor the anshei hamishmar (the men of the guard) which followed me, none of us put off our clothes; every one carried his weapon, even when he went for water.
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