| NET Bible | New American Standard Bible 1995 |
| 1Now when Sanballat heard that we were rebuilding the wall he became angry and was quite upset. He derided the Jews, | 1Now it came about that when Sanballat heard that we were rebuilding the wall, he became furious and very angry and mocked the Jews. |
| 2and in the presence of his colleagues and the army of Samaria he said, "What are these feeble Jews doing? Will they be left to themselves? Will they again offer sacrifice? Will they finish this in a day? Can they bring these burnt stones to life again from piles of dust?" | 2He 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?" |
| 3Then Tobiah the Ammonite, who was close by, said, "If even a fox were to climb up on what they are building, it would break down their wall of stones!" | 3Now 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!" |
| 4Hear, O our God, for we are despised! Return their reproach on their own head! Reduce them to plunder in a land of exile! | 4Hear, 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. |
| 5Do not cover their iniquity, and do not wipe out their sin from before them. For they have bitterly offended the builders! | 5Do not forgive their iniquity and let not their sin be blotted out before You, for they have demoralized the builders. |
| 6So we rebuilt the wall, and the entire wall was joined together up to half its height. The people were enthusiastic in their work. | 6So we built the wall and the whole wall was joined together to half its height, for the people had a mind to work. |
| 7When Sanballat, Tobiah, the Arabs, the Ammonites, and the people of Ashdod heard that the restoration of the walls of Jerusalem had moved ahead and that the breaches had begun to be closed, they were very angry. | 7Now 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. |
| 8All of them conspired together to move with armed forces against Jerusalem and to create a disturbance in it. | 8All of them conspired together to come and fight against Jerusalem and to cause a disturbance in it. |
| 9So we prayed to our God and stationed a guard to protect against them both day and night. | 9But we prayed to our God, and because of them we set up a guard against them day and night. |
| 10Then those in Judah said, "The strength of the laborers has failed! The debris is so great that we are unable to rebuild the wall." | 10Thus 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." |
| 11Our adversaries also boasted, "Before they are aware or anticipate anything, we will come in among them and kill them, and we will bring this work to a halt!" | 11Our enemies said, "They will not know or see until we come among them, kill them and put a stop to the work." |
| 12So it happened that the Jews who were living near them came and warned us repeatedly about all the schemes they were plotting against us. | 12When 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," |
| 13So I stationed people at the lower places behind the wall in the exposed places. I stationed the people by families, with their swords, spears, and bows. | 13then 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. |
| 14When I had made an inspection, I stood up and said to the nobles, the officials, and the rest of the people, "Don't be afraid of them. Remember the great and awesome Lord, and fight on behalf of your brothers, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your families!" | 14When 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." |
| 15It so happened that when our adversaries heard that we were aware of these matters, God frustrated their intentions. Then all of us returned to the wall, each to his own work. | 15When 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. |
| 16From that day forward, half of my men were doing the work and half of them were taking up spears, shields, bows, and body armor. Now the officers were behind all the people of Judah | 16From 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. |
| 17who were rebuilding the wall. Those who were carrying loads did so by keeping one hand on the work and the other on their weapon. | 17Those 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. |
| 18The builders to a man had their swords strapped to their sides while they were building. But the trumpeter remained with me. | 18As for the builders, each wore his sword girded at his side as he built, while the trumpeter stood near me. |
| 19I said to the nobles, the officials, and the rest of the people, "The work is demanding and extensive, and we are spread out on the wall, far removed from one another. | 19I 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. |
| 20Wherever you hear the sound of the trumpet, gather there with us. Our God will fight for us!" | 20"At whatever place you hear the sound of the trumpet, rally to us there. Our God will fight for us." |
| 21So we worked on, with half holding spears, from dawn till dusk. | 21So we carried on the work with half of them holding spears from dawn until the stars appeared. |
| 22At that time I instructed the people, "Let every man and his coworker spend the night in Jerusalem and let them be guards for us by night and workers by day. | 22At 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." |
| 23We did not change clothes--not I, nor my relatives, nor my workers, nor the watchmen who were with me. Each had his weapon, even when getting a drink of water. | 23So 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. |
| NET Bible copyright © 1996-2006 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. //netbible.com. Used by permission. All rights reserved. | New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit //www.lockman.org |
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