1 But it came to pass, that when Sanballat|strong="H5571" heard|strong="H8085" that we builded|strong="H1129" the wall|strong="H2346", he was wroth|strong="H2734", and took great|strong="H7235" indignation|strong="H3707", and mocked|strong="H3932" the Jews|strong="H3064".
2 And he spake|strong="H0559" before|strong="H6440" his brethren|strong="H0251" and the army|strong="H2428" of Samaria|strong="H8111", and said|strong="H0559", What do|strong="H6213" these feeble|strong="H0537" Jews|strong="H3064"? will they fortify|strong="H5800" themselves? will they sacrifice|strong="H2076"? will they make an end|strong="H3615" in a day|strong="H3117"? will they revive|strong="H2421" the stones|strong="H0068" out of the heaps|strong="H6194" of the rubbish|strong="H6083" which are burned|strong="H8313"?
3 Now Tobiah|strong="H2900" the Ammonite|strong="H5984" was by him|strong="H0681", and he said|strong="H0559", Even that which they build|strong="H1129", if a fox|strong="H7776" go up|strong="H5927", he shall even break down|strong="H6555" their stone|strong="H0068" wall|strong="H2346".
4 Hear|strong="H8085", O our God|strong="H0430"; for we are despised|strong="H0939": and turn|strong="H7725" their reproach|strong="H2781" upon their own head|strong="H7218", and give|strong="H5414" them for a prey|strong="H0961" in the land|strong="H0776" of captivity|strong="H7633":
5 And cover|strong="H3680" not their iniquity|strong="H5771", and let not their sin|strong="H2403" be blotted out|strong="H4229" from before|strong="H6440" thee: for they have provoked thee to anger|strong="H3707" before the builders|strong="H1129".
6 So built|strong="H1129" we the wall|strong="H2346"; and all the wall|strong="H2346" was joined together|strong="H7194" unto the half|strong="H2677" thereof: for the people|strong="H5971" had a mind|strong="H3820" to work|strong="H6213".
7 But it came to pass, that when Sanballat|strong="H5571", and Tobiah|strong="H2900", and the Arabians|strong="H6163", and the Ammonites|strong="H5984", and the Ashdodites|strong="H0796", heard|strong="H8085" that the walls|strong="H2346" of Jerusalem|strong="H3389" were made up|strong="H0724", and that the breaches|strong="H6555" began|strong="H2490" to be stopped|strong="H5640", then they were very|strong="H3966" wroth|strong="H2734",
8 And conspired|strong="H7194" all of them together|strong="H3162" to come|strong="H0935" and to fight|strong="H3898" against Jerusalem|strong="H3389", and to hinder|strong="H6213" it.
9 Nevertheless we made our prayer|strong="H6419" unto our God|strong="H0430", and set|strong="H5975" a watch|strong="H4929" against them day|strong="H3119" and night|strong="H3915", because|strong="H6440" of them.
10 And Judah|strong="H3063" said|strong="H0559", The strength|strong="H3581" of the bearers of burdens|strong="H5449" is decayed|strong="H3782", and there is much|strong="H7235" rubbish|strong="H6083"; so that we are not able|strong="H3201" to build|strong="H1129" the wall|strong="H2346".
11 And our adversaries|strong="H6862" said|strong="H0559", They shall not know|strong="H3045", neither see|strong="H7200", till we come|strong="H0935" in the midst|strong="H8432" among|strong="H8432" them, and slay|strong="H2026" them, and cause the work|strong="H4399" to cease|strong="H7673".
12 And it came to pass, that when the Jews|strong="H3064" which dwelt|strong="H3427" by them|strong="H0681" came|strong="H0935", they said|strong="H0559" unto us ten|strong="H6235" times|strong="H6471", From all places|strong="H4725" whence ye shall return|strong="H7725" unto us they will be upon you.
13 Therefore set|strong="H5975" I in the lower|strong="H8482" places|strong="H4725" behind|strong="H0310" the wall|strong="H2346", and on the higher places|strong="H6706", I even set|strong="H5975" the people|strong="H5971" after their families|strong="H4940" with their swords|strong="H2719", their spears|strong="H7420", and their bows|strong="H7198".
14 And I looked|strong="H7200", and rose up|strong="H6965", and said|strong="H0559" unto the nobles|strong="H2715", and to the rulers|strong="H5461", and to the rest|strong="H3499" of the people|strong="H5971", Be not ye afraid|strong="H3372" of them|strong="H6440": remember|strong="H2142" the Lord|strong="H0136", which is great|strong="H1419" and terrible|strong="H3372", and fight|strong="H3898" for your brethren|strong="H0251", your sons|strong="H1121", and your daughters|strong="H1323", your wives|strong="H0802", and your houses|strong="H1004".
15 And it came to pass, when our enemies|strong="H0341" heard|strong="H8085" that it was known|strong="H3045" unto us, and God|strong="H0430" had brought|strong="H6565" their counsel|strong="H6098" to nought|strong="H6565", that we returned|strong="H7725" all of us to the wall|strong="H2346", every one|strong="H0376" unto his work|strong="H4399".
16 And it came to pass from that time|strong="H3117" forth, that the half|strong="H2677" of my servants|strong="H5288" wrought|strong="H6213" in the work|strong="H4399", and the other half|strong="H2677" of them held|strong="H2388" both the spears|strong="H7420", the shields|strong="H4043", and the bows|strong="H7198", and the habergeons|strong="H8302"; and the rulers|strong="H8269" were behind|strong="H0310" all the house|strong="H1004" of Judah|strong="H3063".
17 They which builded|strong="H1129" on the wall|strong="H2346", and they that bare|strong="H5375" burdens|strong="H5447", with those that laded|strong="H6006", every one with one|strong="H0259" of his hands|strong="H3027" wrought|strong="H6213" in the work|strong="H4399", and with the other|strong="H0259" hand held|strong="H2388" a weapon|strong="H7973".
18 For the builders|strong="H1129", every one|strong="H0376" had his sword|strong="H2719" girded|strong="H0631" by his side|strong="H4975", and so builded|strong="H1129". And he that sounded|strong="H8628" the trumpet|strong="H7782" was by me|strong="H0681".
19 And I said|strong="H0559" unto the nobles|strong="H2715", and to the rulers|strong="H5461", and to the rest|strong="H3499" of the people|strong="H5971", The work|strong="H4399" is great|strong="H7235" and large|strong="H7342", and we are separated|strong="H6504" upon the wall|strong="H2346", one|strong="H0376" far from|strong="H7350" another|strong="H0251".
20 In what place|strong="H4725" therefore ye hear|strong="H8085" the sound|strong="H6963" of the trumpet|strong="H7782", resort|strong="H6908" ye thither unto us: our God|strong="H0430" shall fight|strong="H3898" for us.
21 So we laboured|strong="H6213" in the work|strong="H4399": and half|strong="H2677" of them held|strong="H2388" the spears|strong="H7420" from the rising|strong="H5927" of the morning|strong="H7837" till the stars|strong="H3556" appeared|strong="H3318".
22 Likewise at the same time|strong="H6256" said|strong="H0559" I unto the people|strong="H5971", Let every one|strong="H0376" with his servant|strong="H5288" lodge|strong="H3885" within|strong="H8432" Jerusalem|strong="H3389", that in the night|strong="H3915" they may be a guard|strong="H4929" to us, and labour|strong="H4399" on the day|strong="H3117".
23 So neither I, nor my brethren|strong="H0251", nor my servants|strong="H5288", nor the men|strong="H0582" of the guard|strong="H4929" which followed|strong="H0310" me, none of us|strong="H0587" put off|strong="H6584" our clothes|strong="H0899", saving that every one|strong="H0376" put them off|strong="H7973" for washing|strong="H4325".