| International Standard Version | Holman Christian Standard Bible |
| 1 When Sanballat heard that we were reconstructing the wall, he flew into a rage, became indignant, and mocked the Jews. | 1When Sanballat heard that we were rebuilding the wall, he became furious. He mocked the Jews |
| 2He addressed his allies and the Samaritan officials, saying "What are these pathetic Jews doing? Are they intending to rebuild it by themselves? Do they intend to offer sacrifices? Will they finish in a single day? Can they make stones from this burned out rubble?" | 2before his colleagues and the powerful men of Samaria, and said, "What are these pathetic Jews doing? Can they restore it by themselves? Will they offer sacrifices? Will they ever finish it? Can they bring these burnt stones back to life from the mounds of rubble?" |
| 3Tobiah the Ammonite stood to the side, commenting, "If a fox were to jump onto what they're building, it would collapse their stone wall!" | 3Then Tobiah the Ammonite, who was beside him, said, "Indeed, even if a fox climbed up what they are building, he would break down their stone wall!" |
| 4"Listen, our God, because we are being mocked. Let their insults fall back on them, and let them be dragged away as captives into exile. | 4Listen, our God, for we are despised. Make their insults return on their own heads and let them be taken as plunder to a land of captivity. |
| 5Don't atone their iniquity, and don't let their sin be blotted out from before you, because they have demoralized the builders." | 5Do not cover their guilt or let their sin be erased from Your sight, because they have provoked the builders. |
| 6So we rebuilt the wall, completing it halfway up, because the people were committed to working. | 6So we rebuilt the wall until the entire wall was joined together up to half its height, for the people had the will to keep working. |
| 7 But when Sanballat, Tobiah, the Arabs, the Ammonites, and the Ashdodites heard that the repair work on the Jerusalem wall was progressing and that its breaches were being repaired, they flew into a rage. | 7When Sanballat, Tobiah, and the Arabs, Ammonites, and Ashdodites heard that the repair to the walls of Jerusalem was progressing and that the gaps were being closed, they became furious. |
| 8So they all conspired together to invade and fight against Jerusalem, creating confusion there. | 8They all plotted together to come and fight against Jerusalem and throw it into confusion. |
| 9But we prayed to our God. We also set up guards day and night because of them. | 9So we prayed to our God and stationed a guard because of them day and night. |
| 10Meanwhile, the people of Judah said, "The builders are tired and there's so much rubble that we can't reconstruct the wall!" | 10In Judah, it was said: The strength of the laborer fails, since there is so much rubble. We will never be able to rebuild the wall. |
| 11Our enemies said, "Before they notice or see us, we'll penetrate their midst, kill them, and stop the work!" | 11And our enemies said, "They won't know or see anything until we're among them and can kill them and stop the work." |
| 12The Jews who lived near them kept coming to us, reporting at least ten times, "They'll attack us from every direction." | 12When the Jews who lived nearby arrived, they said to us time and again, "Everywhere you turn, they attack us." |
| 13So I stationed the people by families behind the wall in the lower exposed areas, equipping them with their swords, spears, and bows. | 13So I stationed people behind the lowest sections of the wall, at the vulnerable areas. I stationed them by families with their swords, spears, and bows. |
| 14Looking things over, I stood up and spoke to the officials, the military leaders, and the rest of the people: "Don't fear them. Remember the great and awe-inspiring Lord. Fight for your brothers, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your homes." | 14After I 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 awe-inspiring Lord, and fight for your countrymen, your sons and daughters, your wives and homes." |
| 15Our opponents heard that we had learned about them, that God had brought their plans to failure, and that each and every one of us had come to work on the wall. | 15When our enemies heard that we knew their scheme and that God had frustrated it, every one of us returned to his own work on the wall. |
| 16From that day on, half of my helpers engaged in the work while the other half kept spears, shields, bows, and armor ready. The senior officials backed all of the Judeans | 16From that day on, half of my men did the work while the other half held spears, shields, bows, and armor. The officers supported all the people of Judah, |
| 17who worked on the wall. Those who carried building materials worked with one hand, carrying a spear in the other. | 17who were rebuilding the wall. The laborers who carried the loads worked with one hand and held a weapon with the other. |
| 18Each builder worked with a sword strapped to his side, while a trumpeter remained beside me to sound an alarm. | 18Each of the builders had his sword strapped around his waist while he was building, and the trumpeter was beside me. |
| 19I told the officials, rulers, and the rest of the people, "The project is large and extensive, and we are separated from each other on the wall, | 19Then I said to the nobles, the officials, and the rest of the people: "The work is enormous and spread out, and we are separated far from one another along the wall. |
| 20so wherever you hear the sound of the trumpet, come over to us, and our God will fight for us!" | 20Wherever you hear the trumpet sound, rally to us there. Our God will fight for us!" |
| 21So we worked hard, half of us holding spears from dawn to dusk. | 21So we continued the work, while half of the men were holding spears from daybreak until the stars came out. |
| 22At the same time I told the people, "Let's have everyone sleep at night inside Jerusalem with their servants, so they can guard us at night and work during the day. | 22At that time, I also said to the people, "Let everyone and his servant spend the night inside Jerusalem, so that they can stand guard by night and work by day." |
| 23No one—neither I, my allies, my servants, nor the bodyguards who accompanied me—changed clothes. Everyone carried a weapon even while going for water. | 23And I, my brothers, my men, and the guards with me never took off our clothes. Each carried his weapon, even when washing. |
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