Nehemiah 4 NKJV NIV Parallel

◄ Nehemiah 4 ►

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New King James Version

New International Version

1But it so happened, when Sanballat heard that we were rebuilding the wall, that he was furious and very indignant, and mocked the Jews.

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

2And he spoke before his brethren and the army of Samaria, and said, “What are these feeble Jews doing? Will they fortify themselves? Will they offer sacrifices? Will they complete it in a day? Will they revive the stones from the heaps of rubbish—stones that are burned?”

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?"

3Now Tobiah the Ammonite was beside him, and he said, “Whatever they build, if even a fox goes up on it, he will break down their stone wall.”

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; turn their reproach on their own heads, and give them as plunder to a land of captivity!

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 let their sin be blotted out from before You; for they have provoked You to anger before 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 built the wall, and the entire wall was joined together up to half its height, for the people had a mind to work.

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

7Now it happened, when Sanballat, Tobiah, the Arabs, the Ammonites, and the Ashdodites heard that the walls of Jerusalem were being restored and the gaps were beginning to be closed, that they became 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.

8and all of them conspired together to come and attack Jerusalem and create confusion.

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

9Nevertheless we made our prayer to our God, and because of them we set a watch against them day and night.

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

10Then Judah said, “The strength of the laborers is failing, and there is so much rubbish that we are not able to build 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."

11And our adversaries said, “They will neither know nor see anything, till we come into their midst and kill them and cause the work to cease.”

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 was, when the Jews who dwelt near them came, that they told us ten times, “From whatever place you turn, they will be upon us.”

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

13Therefore I positioned men behind the lower parts of the wall, at the openings; and I set the people according to their families, with their swords, their spears, and their 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.

14And I looked, and arose and said to the nobles, to the leaders, and to the rest of the people, “Do not be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, great and awesome, and fight for your brethren, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your houses.”

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."

15And it happened, when our enemies heard that it was known to us, and that God had brought their plot to nothing, that all of us returned to the wall, everyone to his 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.

16So it was, from that time on, that half of my servants worked at construction, while the other half held the spears, the shields, the bows, and wore armor; and the leaders were behind all the house 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

17Those who built on the wall, and those who carried burdens, loaded themselves so that with one hand they worked at construction, and with the other held a weapon.

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

18Every one of the builders had his sword girded at his side as he built. And the one who sounded the trumpet was beside 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.

19Then I said to the nobles, the rulers, and the rest of the people, “The work is great and extensive, and we are separated far from one another on the wall.

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, rally to us there. 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 labored in the work, and half of the men held the spears from daybreak until the stars appeared.

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

22At the same time I also said to the people, “Let each man and his servant stay at night in Jerusalem, that they may be our guard by night and a working party 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."

23So neither I, my brethren, my servants, nor the men of the guard who followed me took off our clothes, except that everyone took them off for washing.

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.

New International Version (NIV)

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