| New International Version | Berean Study Bible |
| 1When Sanballat heard that we were rebuilding the wall, he became angry and was greatly incensed. He ridiculed the Jews, | 1Now when Sanballat heard that we were rebuilding the wall, he was furious and filled with indignation. He ridiculed the Jews |
| 2and in the presence of his associates and the army of Samaria, he said, "What are those feeble Jews doing? Will they restore their wall? Will they offer sacrifices? Will they finish in a day? Can they bring the stones back to life from those heaps of rubble--burned as they are?" | 2before his associates and the army of Samaria, saying, “What are these feeble Jews doing? Can they restore the wall by themselves? Will they offer sacrifices? Will they complete it in a day? Can they bring these burnt stones back to life from the mounds of rubble?” |
| 3Tobiah the Ammonite, who was at his side, said, "What they are building--even a fox climbing up on it would break down their wall of stones!" | 3Then Tobiah the Ammonite, who was beside him, said, “If even a fox were to climb up on what they are building, it would break down their wall of stones!” |
| 4Hear us, our God, for we are despised. Turn their insults back on their own heads. Give them over as plunder in a land of captivity. | 4Hear us, O God, for we are despised. Turn their scorn back upon their own heads, and let them be taken as plunder to a land of captivity. |
| 5Do not cover up their guilt or blot out their sins from your sight, for they have thrown insults in the face of the builders. | 5Do not cover up their iniquity or let their sin be blotted out from Your sight, for they have provoked the builders. |
| 6So we rebuilt the wall till all of it reached half its height, for the people worked with all their heart. | 6So we rebuilt the wall until all of it was joined together up to half its height, for the people had a mind to work. |
| 7But when Sanballat, Tobiah, the Arabs, the Ammonites and the people of Ashdod heard that the repairs to Jerusalem's walls had gone ahead and that the gaps were being closed, they were very angry. | 7When Sanballat and Tobiah, together with the Arabs, Ammonites, and Ashdodites, heard that the repair to the walls of Jerusalem was progressing and that the gaps were being closed, they were furious, |
| 8They all plotted together to come and fight against Jerusalem and stir up trouble against it. | 8and all of them conspired to come and fight against Jerusalem and create a hindrance. |
| 9But we prayed to our God and posted a guard day and night to meet this threat. | 9So we prayed to our God and posted a guard against them day and night. |
| 10Meanwhile, the people in Judah said, "The strength of the laborers is giving out, and there is so much rubble that we cannot rebuild the wall." | 10Meanwhile, the people of Judah said: “The strength of the laborer fails, and there is so much rubble that we will never be able to rebuild the wall.” |
| 11Also our enemies said, "Before they know it or see us, we will be right there among them and will kill them and put an end to the work." | 11And our enemies said, “Before they know or see a thing, we will come into their midst, kill them, and put an end to the work.” |
| 12Then the Jews who lived near them came and told us ten times over, "Wherever you turn, they will attack us." | 12At that time the Jews who lived nearby came and told us ten times over, “Wherever you turn, they will attack us.” |
| 13Therefore I stationed some of the people behind the lowest points of the wall at the exposed places, posting them by families, with their swords, spears and bows. | 13So I stationed men behind the lowest sections of the wall, at the vulnerable areas. I stationed them by families with their swords, spears, and bows. |
| 14After I looked things over, I stood up and said to the nobles, the officials and the rest of the people, "Don't be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for your families, your sons and your daughters, your wives and your homes." | 14After I had made an inspection, I stood up and said 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 and your daughters, your wives and your homes.” |
| 15When our enemies heard that we were aware of their plot and that God had frustrated it, we all returned to the wall, each to our own work. | 15When our enemies heard that we were aware of their scheme and that God had frustrated it, each of us returned to his own work on the wall. |
| 16From that day on, half of my men did the work, while the other half were equipped with spears, shields, bows and armor. The officers posted themselves behind all the people of Judah | 16And from that day on, half of my servants did the work while the other half held spears, shields, bows, and armor. The officers stationed themselves behind all the people of Judah |
| 17who were building the wall. Those who carried materials did their work with one hand and held a weapon in the other, | 17who were rebuilding the wall. The laborers who carried materials worked with one hand and held a weapon with the other. |
| 18and each of the builders wore his sword at his side as he worked. But the man who sounded the trumpet stayed with me. | 18And each of the builders worked with his sword strapped at his side. But the trumpeter stayed beside me. |
| 19Then I said to the nobles, the officials and the rest of the people, "The work is extensive and spread out, and we are widely separated from each other along the wall. | 19Then I said to the nobles, the officials, and the rest of the people: “The work is great and extensive, and we are spread out far from one another along the wall. |
| 20Wherever you hear the sound of the trumpet, join us there. Our God will fight for us!" | 20Wherever you hear the sound of the horn, rally to us there. Our God will fight for us!” |
| 21So we continued the work with half the men holding spears, from the first light of dawn till the stars came out. | 21So we continued the work, while half of the men held spears from the break of dawn until the stars came out. |
| 22At that time I also said to the people, "Have every man and his helper stay inside Jerusalem at night, so they can serve us as guards by night and as workers by day." | 22At that time I also said to the people, “Let every man and his servant spend the night inside Jerusalem, so that they can stand guard by night and work by day.” |
| 23Neither I nor my brothers nor my men nor the guards with me took off our clothes; each had his weapon, even when he went for water. | 23So neither I nor my brothers nor my servants nor the guards with me changed out of our clothes; each carried his weapon, even to go for water. |
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