| NET Bible | New International Version |
| 1Now when Sanballat heard that we were rebuilding the wall he became angry and was quite upset. He derided the Jews, | 1When Sanballat heard that we were rebuilding the wall, he became angry and was greatly incensed. He ridiculed 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?" | 2and 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?" |
| 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, who was at his side, said, "What they are building--even a fox climbing up on it would break down their wall of stones!" |
| 4Hear, O our God, for we are despised! Return their reproach on their own head! Reduce them to plunder in a land of exile! | 4Hear 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. |
| 5Do not cover their iniquity, and do not wipe out their sin from before them. For they have bitterly offended the builders! | 5Do not cover up their guilt or blot out their sins from your sight, for they have thrown insults in the face of 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 till all of it reached half its height, for the people worked with all their heart. |
| 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. | 7But 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. |
| 8All of them conspired together to move with armed forces against Jerusalem and to create a disturbance in it. | 8They all plotted together to come and fight against Jerusalem and stir up trouble against it. |
| 9So we prayed to our God and stationed a guard to protect against them both day and night. | 9But we prayed to our God and posted a guard day and night to meet this threat. |
| 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 in Judah said, "The strength of the laborers is giving out, and there is so much rubble that we cannot rebuild 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!" | 11Also 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." |
| 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. | 12Then the Jews who lived near them came and told us ten times over, "Wherever you turn, they will attack us." |
| 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. | 13Therefore 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. |
| 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!" | 14After 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." |
| 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. | 15When 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. |
| 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 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 |
| 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 were building the wall. Those who carried materials did their work with one hand and held a weapon 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. | 18and each of the builders wore his sword at his side as he worked. But the man who sounded the trumpet stayed with me. |
| 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. | 19Then 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. |
| 20Wherever you hear the sound of the trumpet, gather there with us. Our God will fight for us!" | 20Wherever you hear the sound of the trumpet, join us there. Our God will fight for us!" |
| 21So we worked on, with half holding spears, from dawn till dusk. | 21So we continued the work with half the men holding spears, from the first light of dawn till the stars came out. |
| 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 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." |
| 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. | 23Neither 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. |
|
