Nehemiah 4 (New American Standard)
View In My BibleWork Is Ridiculed
1 aNow it came about that when 1Sanballat heard that we were rebuilding the wall, he became furious and very angry and mocked the Jews. 2 He spoke in the presence of his brothers and 2the bwealthy men of Samaria and said, "What are these feeble Jews doing ? Are they going to restore it for themselves? Can they offer sacrifices ? Can they finish in a day ? Can they revive the stones from the c3dusty rubble even the burned ones?" 3 Now Tobiah the Ammonite was near him and he said, "Even what they are building -4if a fox should djump on it, he would break their stone wall down !" 4 5Hear, O our God, how we are despised ! 6Return their reproach on their own heads and give them up for plunder in a land of captivity. 5 Do not e7forgive their iniquity and let not their sin be blotted out before You, for they have fdemoralized the builders. 6 So we built the wall and the whole wall was joined together to half its height, for the people had a gmind to work. 7 hNow when Sanballat, Tobiah, the Arabs, the Ammonites and the Ashdodites heard that the irepair of the walls of Jerusalem went on, and that the breaches began to be closed, they were very angry. 8 All of them 8conspired together to come and fight against Jerusalem and to cause a disturbance in it.Discouragement Overcome
9 But we prayed to our God, and because of them we 9set up a guard against them day and night. 10 Thus jin Judah it was said, "The strength of the burden bearers is failing, Yet there is much krubbish ; And we ourselves are unable To rebuild the wall." 11 Our enemies said, "They will not know or see until we come among them, kill them and put a stop to the work." 12 When the Jews who lived near them came and told us ten times, "lThey will come up against us from every place where you may turn," 13 then I stationed men in the lowest parts of the space behind the wall, the mexposed places, and I 10stationed the people in families with their swords, spears and bows. 14 When I saw their fear, I rose and spoke to the nobles, the officials and the rest of the people : "11Do not be afraid of them; remember the Lord who is great and awesome, and 12fight for your brothers, your sons, your daughters, your wives and your houses." 15 When our enemies heard that it was known to us, and that 13God had frustrated their plan, then all of us returned to the wall, each one to his work. 16 From that day on, half of my servants carried on the work while half of them held the spears, the shields, the bows and the breastplates ; and the captains were behind the whole house of Judah. 17 Those who were rebuilding the wall and those who carried burdens took their load with one hand doing the work and the other holding a weapon. 18 As for the builders, each wore his sword girded at his side as he built, while nthe trumpeter stood near me. 19 I said to the nobles, the officials and the rest of the people, "The work is great and extensive, and we are separated on the wall far from one another. 20 "At whatever place you hear the sound of the trumpet, orally to us there. 14Our God will fight for us." 21 So we carried on the work with half of them holding spears from pdawn until the stars qappeared. 22 At that time I also said to the people, "Let each man with his servant spend the night within Jerusalem so that they may be a guard for us by night and a laborer by day." 23 So neither I, my brothers, my servants, nor the men of the guard who followed me, none of us removed our clothes, each took his weapon even to the water.New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, California. All rights reserved. (New American Standard Version - Holy Bible)
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