| New American Standard Bible 1995 | Christian Standard Bible |
| 1Now it came about that when Sanballat heard that we were rebuilding the wall, he became furious and very angry and mocked the Jews. | 1When Sanballat heard that we were rebuilding the wall, he became furious. He mocked the Jews |
| 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?" | 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?" |
| 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!" | 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!" |
| 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. | 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. |
| 5Do not forgive their iniquity and let not their sin be blotted out before You, for they have demoralized the builders. | 5Do not cover their guilt or let their sin be erased from your sight, because they have angered the builders. |
| 6So we built the wall and the whole wall was joined together to half its height, for the people had a mind to work. | 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. |
| 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. | 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. |
| 8All of them conspired together to come and fight against Jerusalem and to cause a disturbance in it. | 8They all plotted together to come and fight against Jerusalem and throw it into confusion. |
| 9But we prayed to our God, and because of them we set up a guard against them day and night. | 9So we prayed to our God and stationed a guard because of them day and night. |
| 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." | 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, "They will not know or see until we come among them, kill them and put a stop to the work." | 11And our enemies said, "They won't realize it until we're among them and can kill them and stop the work." |
| 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," | 12When the Jews who lived nearby arrived, they said to us time and again, "Everywhere you turn, they attack us." |
| 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. | 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. |
| 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." | 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." |
| 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. | 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 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. | 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, |
| 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. | 17who were rebuilding the wall. The laborers who carried the loads worked with one hand and held a weapon with the other. |
| 18As for the builders, each wore his sword girded at his side as he built, while the trumpeter stood near me. | 18Each of the builders had his sword strapped around his waist while he was building, and the trumpeter was beside me. |
| 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. | 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. |
| 20"At whatever place you hear the sound of the trumpet, rally to us there. Our God will fight for us." | 20Wherever you hear the trumpet sound, rally to us there. Our God will fight for us!" |
| 21So we carried on the work with half of them holding spears from dawn until the stars appeared. | 21So we continued the work, while half of the men were holding spears from daybreak until the stars came out. |
| 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." | 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." |
| 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. | 23And I, my brothers, my servants, and the men of the guard with me never took off our clothes. Each carried his weapon, even when washing. |
| 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 | The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. |
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