Nehemiah 4 Parallel Bible Translations

Nehemiah 4 ▼
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1 And it came to pass, when Sanballat heard that we were rebuilding the wall, that he became hot and he became greatly angry, and he mocked at the Jews. Now when Sanballat heard that we were building the wall, he was angry and greatly enraged, and he jeered at the Jews. When Sanballat heard that we were rebuilding the wall, he became angry and was greatly incensed. He ridiculed the Jews,
2 And he spoke before the face of his brothers and the force 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 the rubble—and they are burned?” And he said in the presence of his brothers and of the army of Samaria, “What are these feeble Jews doing? Will they restore it for themselves? Will they sacrifice? Will they finish up in a day? Will they revive the stones out of the heaps of rubbish, and burned ones at that?” and 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?”
3 And Tobiah the Ammonite was beside him, and he said, “Even whatever they are building, if a fox goes up on it, it will break down the wall of their stones.” Tobiah the Ammonite was beside him, and he said, “Yes, what they are building—if a fox goes up on it he will break down their stone wall!” Tobiah 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!”
4 Hear, our God, for we are despised! And turn their reproach on their own heads, and give them as spoil to a land of captivity. Hear, O our God, for we are despised. Turn back their taunt on their own heads and give them up to be plundered in a land where they are captives. Hear 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.
5 And do not cover over their iniquity; and their sin, do not let it be blotted out from before You, for they have provoked anger in front of the builders. Do not cover their guilt, and let not their sin be blotted out from your sight, for they have provoked you to anger in the presence of the builders. Do not cover up their guilt or blot out their sins from your sight, for they have thrown insults in the face of the builders.
6 And we built the wall, and all the wall was joined together up to half of it, for the people had a mind to work. So we built the wall. And all the wall was joined together to half its height, for the people had a mind to work. So we rebuilt the wall till all of it reached half its height, for the people worked with all their heart.
7 And it came to pass, when Sanballat and Tobiah and the Arabs and the Ammonites and the Ashdodites heard that the repair was progressing to the walls of Jerusalem and the gaps were beginning to be closed, that they became very hot. But when Sanballat and Tobiah and the Arabs and the Ammonites and the Ashdodites heard that the repairing of the walls of Jerusalem was going forward and that the breaches were beginning to be closed, they were very angry. But 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.
8 And all of them conspired together to come to fight against Jerusalem, and to do to it injury. And they all plotted together to come and fight against Jerusalem and to cause confusion in it. They all plotted together to come and fight against Jerusalem and stir up trouble against it.
9 And we made our prayer to our God, and we set a watch against them, day and night, against their faces. And we prayed to our God and set a guard as a protection against them day and night. But we prayed to our God and posted a guard day and night to meet this threat.
10 And Judah said, “The power of the laborers is failing, and the rubble is abundant, and we are not able to build on the wall.” In Judah it was said, “The strength of those who bear the burdens is failing. There is too much rubble. By ourselves we will not be able to rebuild the wall.” Meanwhile, 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.”
11 And our adversaries said, “They will not know and they will not see until that we come into their midst and kill them and put an end to the work.” And our enemies said, “They will not know or see till we come among them and kill them and stop the work.” Also 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.”
12 And it came to pass, when the Jews came who dwelt near them, that they said to us ten times, “From all the places where you⁺ return, they will be upon us.” At that time the Jews who lived near them came from all directions and said to us ten times, “You must return to us.” Then the Jews who lived near them came and told us ten times over, “Wherever you turn, they will attack us.”
13 And I appointed at the lowest of the places at the back of the wall, at the openings, I even appointed the people by their families with their swords, their spears, and their bows. So in the lowest parts of the space behind the wall, in open places, I stationed the people by their clans, with their swords, their spears, and their bows. Therefore 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.
14 And I looked, and I arose and said to the nobles and to the leaders and to the rest of the people, “Do not be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, great and fearsome, and fight for your⁺ brothers, your⁺ sons, and your⁺ daughters, your⁺ wives, and your⁺ houses.” And I looked and arose and said to the nobles and to the officials and to 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 homes.” After 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.”
15 And it came to pass, when our enemies heard that it was known to us and that God had frustrated their plot, that all of us returned to the wall, each man to his work. When our enemies heard that it was known to us and that God had frustrated their plan, we all returned to the wall, each to his work. When 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.
16 And it came to pass from that day, that half of my servants worked at the construction, and half held the spears, and the shields, and the bows, and the armor. And the leaders were behind all the house of Judah. From that day on, half of my servants worked on construction, and half held the spears, shields, bows, and coats of mail. And the leaders stood behind the whole house of Judah, From 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
17 Those who built on the wall and the bearers of the burden loaded themselves, so that with one hand they worked at the construction, and one was grasping a weapon. who were building on the wall. Those who carried burdens were loaded in such a way that each labored on the work with one hand and held his weapon with the other. who were building the wall. Those who carried materials did their work with one hand and held a weapon in the other,
18 And of the builders, each man had his sword girded at his side as he built. And the one who sounded with the shofar was beside me. And each of the builders had his sword strapped at his side while he built. The man who sounded the trumpet was beside me. and each of the builders wore his sword at his side as he worked. But the man who sounded the trumpet stayed with me.
19 And I said to the nobles and to the prefects and to the rest of the people, “The work is great and extensive, and we are separated on the wall far from one another. And I said to the nobles and to the officials and to the rest of the people, “The work is great and widely spread, and we are separated on the wall, far from one another. Then 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.
20 In the place that you⁺ hear the voice of the shofar, there gather to us. Our God will fight for us.” In the place where you hear the sound of the trumpet, rally to us there. Our God will fight for us.” Wherever you hear the sound of the trumpet, join us there. Our God will fight for us!”
21 And we labored in the work, and half kept hold of the spears from daybreak until the coming forth of the stars. So we labored at the work, and half of them held the spears from the break of dawn until the stars came out. So we continued the work with half the men holding spears, from the first light of dawn till the stars came out.
22 Also at that time I said to the people, “Each man and his servant should lodge in the midst of Jerusalem, that they may be to us by the night a guard and by the day a working party.” I also said to the people at that time, “Let every man and his servant pass the night within Jerusalem, that they may be a guard for us by night and may labor by day.” At 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.”
23 And none—I and my brothers and my servants and the men of the guard who were behind me—none of us took off our garments; each man had his weapon at the water. So neither I nor my brothers nor my servants nor the men of the guard who followed me, none of us took off our clothes; each kept his weapon at his right hand. Neither 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.
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