41 Now it came about that when Sanballat heard that we were rebuilding the wall , he became furious and very angry and mocked the Jews . 2 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?" 3 Now 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 !" 4 Hear , 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 . 5 Do not forgive their iniquity and let not their sin be blotted out before e You, for they have demoralized e the builders . 6 So we built the wall and the whole wall was joined together to half its height, for the people had a mind to work .
7 Now 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 . 8 All of them conspired together to come and fight against Jerusalem and to cause a disturbance in it. 9 But we prayed to our God , and because of them we set up a guard against them day and night . 10 Thus in Judah it was said , "The strength of the burden bearers is failing , Yet there is much rubbish ; And we ourselves are unable e To rebuild the wall ." 11 Our enemies said , "They will not know or see until e we come among e them, kill them and put a stop to the work ." 12 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 ," 13 then 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 . 14 When 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 ." 15 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 .
16 From that day on, 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 . 17 Those 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 . 18 As for the builders , each wore his sword girded at his side as he built , while the trumpeter e stood near me. 19 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 . 20 "At whatever place you hear the sound of the trumpet , rally to us there . Our God will fight for us." 21 So we carried on the work with half of them holding spears from dawn e until the stars appeared . 22 At 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 ." 23 So 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 .
