| New King James Version | NET Bible |
| 1But it so happened, when Sanballat heard that we were rebuilding the wall, that he was furious and very indignant, and mocked the Jews. | 1Now when Sanballat heard that we were rebuilding the wall he became angry and was quite upset. He derided the Jews, |
| 2And he spoke before his brethren and the army of Samaria, and said, “What are these feeble Jews doing? Will they fortify themselves? Will they offer sacrifices? Will they complete it in a day? Will they revive the stones from the heaps of rubbish—stones that are burned?” | 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?" |
| 3Now Tobiah the Ammonite was beside him, and he said, “Whatever they build, if even a fox goes up on it, he will break down their stone wall.” | 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!" |
| 4Hear, O our God, for we are despised; turn their reproach on their own heads, and give them as plunder to a land of captivity! | 4Hear, O our God, for we are despised! Return their reproach on their own head! Reduce them to plunder in a land of exile! |
| 5Do not cover their iniquity, and do not let their sin be blotted out from before You; for they have provoked You to anger before the builders. | 5Do not cover their iniquity, and do not wipe out their sin from before them. For they have bitterly offended the builders! |
| 6So we built the wall, and the entire wall was joined together up to half its height, for the people had a mind to work. | 6So we rebuilt the wall, and the entire wall was joined together up to half its height. The people were enthusiastic in their work. |
| 7Now it happened, when Sanballat, Tobiah, the Arabs, the Ammonites, and the Ashdodites heard that the walls of Jerusalem were being restored and the gaps were beginning to be closed, that they became very angry, | 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. |
| 8and all of them conspired together to come and attack Jerusalem and create confusion. | 8All of them conspired together to move with armed forces against Jerusalem and to create a disturbance in it. |
| 9Nevertheless we made our prayer to our God, and because of them we set a watch against them day and night. | 9So we prayed to our God and stationed a guard to protect against them both day and night. |
| 10Then Judah said, “The strength of the laborers is failing, and there is so much rubbish that we are not able to build the wall.” | 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." |
| 11And our adversaries said, “They will neither know nor see anything, till we come into their midst and kill them and cause the work to cease.” | 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!" |
| 12So it was, when the Jews who dwelt near them came, that they told us ten times, “From whatever place you turn, they will be upon us.” | 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. |
| 13Therefore I positioned men behind the lower parts of the wall, at the openings; and I set the people according to their families, with their swords, their spears, and their bows. | 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. |
| 14And I looked, and arose and said to the nobles, to the leaders, and to the rest of the people, “Do not be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, great and awesome, and fight for your brethren, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your houses.” | 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!" |
| 15And it happened, when our enemies heard that it was known to us, and that God had brought their plot to nothing, that all of us returned to the wall, everyone to his work. | 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. |
| 16So it was, from that time on, that half of my servants worked at construction, while the other half held the spears, the shields, the bows, and wore armor; and the leaders were behind all the house of Judah. | 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 |
| 17Those who built on the wall, and those who carried burdens, loaded themselves so that with one hand they worked at construction, and with the other held a weapon. | 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. |
| 18Every one of the builders had his sword girded at his side as he built. And the one who sounded the trumpet was beside me. | 18The builders to a man had their swords strapped to their sides while they were building. But the trumpeter remained with me. |
| 19Then I said to the nobles, the rulers, and the rest of the people, “The work is great and extensive, and we are separated far from one another on the wall. | 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. |
| 20Wherever you hear the sound of the trumpet, rally to us there. Our God will fight for us.” | 20Wherever you hear the sound of the trumpet, gather there with us. Our God will fight for us!" |
| 21So we labored in the work, and half of the men held the spears from daybreak until the stars appeared. | 21So we worked on, with half holding spears, from dawn till dusk. |
| 22At the same time I also said to the people, “Let each man and his servant stay at night in Jerusalem, that they may be our guard by night and a working party by day.” | 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. |
| 23So neither I, my brethren, my servants, nor the men of the guard who followed me took off our clothes, except that everyone took them off for washing. | 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. |
|
