1
When Sanballat heard we were rebuilding the wall, he became enraged and made fun of the Jews.
2
In front of his allies and the army from Samaria, he said, "What do these miserable Jews think they're doing? Can they rebuild it by themselves? Are they going to offer sacrifices? Can they finish it in a day? Will they get the stones out of the rubbish heaps, burned as these stones are, and give them new strength?"
3
Tobiah the Ammonite, who was beside Sanballat, said, "Even a fox would make their stone wall collapse if it walked on top of what they're building!"
4
[Nehemiah prayed,] "Our God, hear us. We are despised. Turn their insults back on them, and let them be robbed in the land where they are prisoners.
5
Don't ignore their guilt, and don't let their sins disappear from your records. They have insulted you in front of these builders."
6
So we rebuilt the wall, which was rebuilt to about half its [original] height. The people worked with determination.
7
When Sanballat, Tobiah, the Arabs, the Ammonites, and the people from Ashdod heard that the repair work on the walls of Jerusalem was making progress and that the gaps were being filled in, they became furious.
8
All of them plotted to attack Jerusalem to create confusion.
9
But we prayed to our God and set guards to protect us day and night.
10
Then the people of Judah said, "The work crews are worn out, and there is too much rubble. We can't continue to rebuild the wall."
11
Our enemies said, "Before they know what is happening or see a thing, we will be right in the middle of them. We'll kill them and bring the work to an end."