Nehemiah 4:10-20

10 And Juda said, The strength of the enemies is broken, yet much rubbish, and we shall not be able to build the wall.
11 And they that afflicted us said, They shall not know, and they shall not see, until we come into the midst of them, and slay them, and cause the work to cease.
12 And it came to pass, when the Jews who lived near them came, that they said to us, They are coming up against us from every quarter.
13 So I set in the lowest part of the place behind the wall in the lurking-places, I even set 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, and to the captains, and to the rest of the people, Be not afraid of them: remember our great and terrible God, and fight for your brethren, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your houses.
15 And it came to pass, when our enemies heard that it was made known to us, and God had frustrated their counsel, that we all returned to the wall, man to his work.
16 And it came to pass from that day half of them that had been driven forth, wrought the work, and half of them kept guard; and spears, and shields, and bows, and breast-plates, and rulers behind the whole house of Juda,
17 even of them that were building the wall:—and those who carried the burdens under arms: with one hand wrought his work, and with the other held his dart.
18 And the builders each man having his sword girt upon his loins, and so they built: and the trumpeter with his trumpet next to him.
19 And I said to the nobles, and to the rulers, and to the rest of the people, The work great and abundant, and we are dispersed upon the wall, each at a great distance from his brother.
20 In whatsoever place ye shall hear the sound of the cornet, thither gather yourselves together to us; and our God shall fight for us.

Nehemiah 4:10-20 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO NEHEMIAH 4

This chapter relates, how the Jews, while building, were mocked by their enemies, to which no answer was returned but by prayer to God, and they went on notwithstanding in their work, Ne 4:1-6 and how that their enemies conspired against them, to hinder them by force of arms, Ne 4:7-12 to oppose which, both spiritual and temporal weapons were made use of, so that the work was still carried on, Ne 4:13-23.

The Brenton translation of the Septuagint is in the public domain.