Nehemiah 4 NIV NLT Parallel

◄ Nehemiah 4 ►

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New Living Translation

1When Sanballat heard that we were rebuilding the wall, he became angry and was greatly incensed. He ridiculed the Jews,

1 Sanballat was very angry when he learned that we were rebuilding the wall. He flew into a rage and mocked the Jews,

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?"

2saying in front of his friends and the Samarian army officers, “What does this bunch of poor, feeble Jews think they’re doing? Do they think they can build the wall in a single day by just offering a few sacrifices? Do they actually think they can make something of stones from a rubbish heap—and charred ones at that?”

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!"

3Tobiah the Ammonite, who was standing beside him, remarked, “That stone wall would collapse if even a fox walked along the top of it!”

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.

4Then I prayed, “Hear us, our God, for we are being mocked. May their scoffing fall back on their own heads, and may they themselves become captives in a foreign land!

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.

5Do not ignore their guilt. Do not blot out their sins, for they have provoked you to anger here in front of the builders.”

6So we rebuilt the wall till all of it reached half its height, for the people worked with all their heart.

6At last the wall was completed to half its height around the entire city, for the people had worked with enthusiasm.

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.

7 But when Sanballat and Tobiah and the Arabs, Ammonites, and Ashdodites heard that the work was going ahead and that the gaps in the wall of Jerusalem were being repaired, they were furious.

8They all plotted together to come and fight against Jerusalem and stir up trouble against it.

8They all made plans to come and fight against Jerusalem and throw us into confusion.

9But we prayed to our God and posted a guard day and night to meet this threat.

9But we prayed to our God and guarded the city day and night to protect ourselves.

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."

10Then the people of Judah began to complain, “The workers are getting tired, and there is so much rubble to be moved. We will never be able to build the wall by ourselves.”

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."

11Meanwhile, our enemies were saying, “Before they know what’s happening, we will swoop down on them and kill them and end their work.”

12Then the Jews who lived near them came and told us ten times over, "Wherever you turn, they will attack us."

12The Jews who lived near the enemy came and told us again and again, “They will come from all directions and attack us!”

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.

13So I placed armed guards behind the lowest parts of the wall in the exposed areas. I stationed the people to stand guard by families, armed with swords, spears, and bows.

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."

14Then as I looked over the situation, I called together the nobles and the rest of the people and said to them, “Don’t be afraid of the enemy! Remember the Lord, who is great and glorious, and fight for your brothers, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your homes!”

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.

15When our enemies heard that we knew of their plans and that God had frustrated them, we all returned to our work on the wall.

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

16But from then on, only half my men worked while the other half stood guard with spears, shields, bows, and coats of mail. The leaders stationed themselves behind the people of Judah

17who were building the wall. Those who carried materials did their work with one hand and held a weapon in the other,

17who were building the wall. The laborers carried on their work with one hand supporting their load and one hand holding a weapon.

18and each of the builders wore his sword at his side as he worked. But the man who sounded the trumpet stayed with me.

18All the builders had a sword belted to their side. The trumpeter stayed with me to sound the alarm.

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.

19Then I explained to the nobles and officials and all the people, “The work is very spread out, and we are widely separated from each other along the wall.

20Wherever you hear the sound of the trumpet, join us there. Our God will fight for us!"

20When you hear the blast of the trumpet, rush to wherever it is sounding. Then our God will fight for us!”

21So we continued the work with half the men holding spears, from the first light of dawn till the stars came out.

21We worked early and late, from sunrise to sunset. And half the men were always on guard.

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."

22I also told everyone living outside the walls to stay in Jerusalem. That way they and their servants could help with guard duty at night and work during the day.

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.

23During this time, none of us—not I, nor my relatives, nor my servants, nor the guards who were with me—ever took off our clothes. We carried our weapons with us at all times, even when we went for water.

New International Version (NIV)

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