| New Living Translation | Berean Study Bible |
| 1 Sanballat was very angry when he learned that we were rebuilding the wall. He flew into a rage and mocked the Jews, | 1Now when Sanballat heard that we were rebuilding the wall, he was furious and filled with indignation. He ridiculed the Jews |
| 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?” | 2before his associates and the army of Samaria, saying, “What are these feeble Jews doing? Can they restore the wall by themselves? Will they offer sacrifices? Will they complete it in a day? Can they bring these burnt stones back to life from the mounds of rubble?” |
| 3Tobiah the Ammonite, who was standing beside him, remarked, “That stone wall would collapse if even a fox walked along the top of it!” | 3Then Tobiah the Ammonite, who was beside him, said, “If even a fox were to climb up on what they are building, it would break down their wall of stones!” |
| 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! | 4Hear us, O God, for we are despised. Turn their scorn back upon their own heads, and let them be taken as plunder to a land of captivity. |
| 5Do not ignore their guilt. Do not blot out their sins, for they have provoked you to anger here in front of the builders.” | 5Do not cover up their iniquity or let their sin be blotted out from Your sight, for they have provoked the builders. |
| 6At last the wall was completed to half its height around the entire city, for the people had worked with enthusiasm. | 6So we rebuilt the wall until all of it was joined together up to half its height, for the people had a mind to work. |
| 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. | 7When Sanballat and Tobiah, together with the Arabs, Ammonites, and Ashdodites, heard that the repair to the walls of Jerusalem was progressing and that the gaps were being closed, they were furious, |
| 8They all made plans to come and fight against Jerusalem and throw us into confusion. | 8and all of them conspired to come and fight against Jerusalem and create a hindrance. |
| 9But we prayed to our God and guarded the city day and night to protect ourselves. | 9So we prayed to our God and posted a guard against them day and night. |
| 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.” | 10Meanwhile, the people of Judah said: “The strength of the laborer fails, and there is so much rubble that we will never be able to rebuild the wall.” |
| 11Meanwhile, our enemies were saying, “Before they know what’s happening, we will swoop down on them and kill them and end their work.” | 11And our enemies said, “Before they know or see a thing, we will come into their midst, kill them, and put an end to the work.” |
| 12The Jews who lived near the enemy came and told us again and again, “They will come from all directions and attack us!” | 12At that time the Jews who lived nearby came and told us ten times over, “Wherever you turn, they will attack us.” |
| 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. | 13So I stationed men behind the lowest sections of the wall, at the vulnerable areas. I stationed them by families with their swords, spears, and bows. |
| 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!” | 14After I had made an inspection, I stood up and said 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 and your daughters, your wives and your homes.” |
| 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. | 15When our enemies heard that we were aware of their scheme and that God had frustrated it, each of us returned to his own work on the wall. |
| 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 | 16And from that day on, half of my servants did the work while the other half held spears, shields, bows, and armor. The officers stationed themselves behind all the people of Judah |
| 17who were building the wall. The laborers carried on their work with one hand supporting their load and one hand holding a weapon. | 17who were rebuilding the wall. The laborers who carried materials worked with one hand and held a weapon with the other. |
| 18All the builders had a sword belted to their side. The trumpeter stayed with me to sound the alarm. | 18And each of the builders worked with his sword strapped at his side. But the trumpeter stayed beside me. |
| 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. | 19Then I said to the nobles, the officials, and the rest of the people: “The work is great and extensive, and we are spread out far from one another along the wall. |
| 20When you hear the blast of the trumpet, rush to wherever it is sounding. Then our God will fight for us!” | 20Wherever you hear the sound of the horn, rally to us there. Our God will fight for us!” |
| 21We worked early and late, from sunrise to sunset. And half the men were always on guard. | 21So we continued the work, while half of the men held spears from the break of dawn until the stars came out. |
| 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. | 22At that time I also said to the people, “Let every man and his servant spend the night inside Jerusalem, so that they can stand guard by night and work by day.” |
| 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. | 23So neither I nor my brothers nor my servants nor the guards with me changed out of our clothes; each carried his weapon, even to go for water. |
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