7But when Sanballat, Tobiah, the Arabians, the Ammonites, and the Ashdodites, heard that the restoration of the wall of Jerusalem went forward, and that the breaches began to be closed, they were very angry, 8And all of them together conspired to come and to fight against Jerusalem, and to hinder it. 9But we prayed unto our God, and set up a guard against them day and night. 10And the leaders of 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”. 11And our adversaries said, “They shall not know, nor see, till we are among them, and slay them, and stop the work”. 12And when the Jews who dwelt by them came, they said unto us ten times (repeatedly), “From every place where you turn, they will be upon us”. 13So I stationed men with swords, spears, and bows in the lower places behind the wall, and on the higher places, I stationed the people according to their families. 14And when I saw their fear, I rose up, and said to the nobles, the rulers, and to the rest of the people, “Be not you afraid of them. Remember the LORD, Who is great and awe-inspiring, and fight to defend your brethren, your sons, daughters, your wives, and your houses”.

15And when our enemies heard that we knew their plot, and God had brought their counsel to nothing, we all returned to the wall, everyone to his work. 16And it came to pass from that time forth, that half of my servants did the work, while the other half held the spears, shields, bows, and the coats of mail; and the captains were behind all the house of Judah. 17They who built the wall, and they who bore burdens, everyone worked with one of his hands, and with the other hand held a weapon. 18For all the builders had his sword girded by his side, and so they built. And he who sounded the trumpet to call the troops was by me. 19And I said to the nobles, the rulers, and to the rest of the people, “The work is great and extensive, and we are scattered along the wall, far from each other. 20Wherever you hear the trumpet, gather to us there. Our God shall fight for us”. 21So we carried on the work; and half of them held the spears from the rising of the morning till the stars appeared. 22At that time I said to the people, “Let everyone, with his servant, lodge inside Jerusalem, that they may guard us at night, and work in the day”. 23So neither I, nor my brethren, my servants, nor those who guarded us, none of us took off our clothes, except that for washing.