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

2 And 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?

3 Now 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.

4 Hear, O our God, for we are despised; turn their reproach upon their own heads, and give them as spoils to a land of captivity.

5 Do 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.

6 So we built the wall, and the entire wall was joined together up to half its height, for the people had a heart to work.

7 And it came to pass, when Sanballat, Tobiah, the Arabs, the Ammonites, and the Ashdodites heard that the walls of Jerusalem had been restored up and the gaps had begun to be closed, that they were greatly infuriated,

8 and all of them conspired together to come and make war against Jerusalem and to create confusion.

9 Nevertheless we prayed unto our God, and because of them we set a watch against them day and night.

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

11 And our adversaries said, They will neither know nor see anything, till we have come into their midst and killed them and put an end to the work.

12 So it was, when the Jews who dwelt near them came, that they told us ten times, From whatever place you return, they will be upon us.

13 Therefore I stationed men behind the lower parts of the wall, at the bare places; and I stationed the people according to their families, with their swords, their spears, and their bows.

14 And I looked, and arose and said to the nobles, to the rulers, 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.

15 And it happened, when our enemies heard that it was known to us, and that God had broken their counsel, that all of us returned to the wall, each one to his work.

16 So it was, from that time on, that half of my servants did the work, while the other half held the spears, the shields, the bows, and wore armor; and the rulers were behind all the house of Judah.

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

18 Every one who was building had his sword girded at his side as he built. And the one who sounded the shofar was beside me.

19 Then 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.

20 Wherever you hear the sound of the shofar, rally to us there. Our God will fight for us.

21 So we did the work, and half of the men held the spears from the rising of the dawn until the stars came out.

22 At the same time I also said to the people, Let each man and his servant lodge inside Jerusalem, that they may be a guard to us by night and workers by day.

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