| NET Bible | International Standard Version |
| 1Now when Sanballat heard that we were rebuilding the wall he became angry and was quite upset. He derided the Jews, | 1 When Sanballat heard that we were reconstructing the wall, he flew into a rage, became indignant, and mocked the Jews. |
| 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?" | 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?" |
| 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!" | 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!" |
| 4Hear, O our God, for we are despised! Return their reproach on their own head! Reduce them to plunder in a land of exile! | 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. |
| 5Do not cover their iniquity, and do not wipe out their sin from before them. For they have bitterly offended the builders! | 5Don't atone their iniquity, and don't let their sin be blotted out from before you, because they have demoralized the builders." |
| 6So we rebuilt the wall, and the entire wall was joined together up to half its height. The people were enthusiastic in their work. | 6So we rebuilt the wall, completing it halfway up, because the people were committed to working. |
| 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. | 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. |
| 8All of them conspired together to move with armed forces against Jerusalem and to create a disturbance in it. | 8So they all conspired together to invade and fight against Jerusalem, creating confusion there. |
| 9So we prayed to our God and stationed a guard to protect against them both day and night. | 9But we prayed to our God. We also set up guards day and night because of them. |
| 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." | 10Meanwhile, the people of Judah said, "The builders are tired and there's so much rubble that we can't reconstruct the wall!" |
| 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!" | 11Our enemies said, "Before they notice or see us, we'll penetrate their midst, kill them, and stop the work!" |
| 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. | 12The Jews who lived near them kept coming to us, reporting at least ten times, "They'll attack us from every direction." |
| 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. | 13So I stationed the people by families behind the wall in the lower exposed areas, equipping them with their swords, spears, and bows. |
| 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!" | 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." |
| 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. | 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. |
| 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 | 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 |
| 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. | 17who worked on the wall. Those who carried building materials worked with one hand, carrying a spear in the other. |
| 18The builders to a man had their swords strapped to their sides while they were building. But the trumpeter remained with me. | 18Each builder worked with a sword strapped to his side, while a trumpeter remained beside me to sound an alarm. |
| 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. | 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, |
| 20Wherever you hear the sound of the trumpet, gather there with us. Our God will fight for us!" | 20so wherever you hear the sound of the trumpet, come over to us, and our God will fight for us!" |
| 21So we worked on, with half holding spears, from dawn till dusk. | 21So we worked hard, half of us holding spears from dawn to dusk. |
| 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. | 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. |
| 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. | 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. |
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