7
But when Sanballat and Tobiah and the Arabs and the Ammonites and the Ashdodites heard that the repairing of the walls of Jerusalem was going forward and the gaps were beginning to be closed, they were very angry,
8
and all plotted together to come and fight against Jerusalem and to cause confusion in it.
9
So we prayed to our God, and set a guard as a protection against them day and night.
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But Judah said, "The strength of the burden bearers is failing, and there is too much rubbish so that we are unable to work on the wall."
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And our enemies said, "They will not know or see anything before we come upon them and kill them and stop the work."
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When the Jews who lived near them came, they said to us ten times, "From all the places where they live they will come up against us."
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So in the lowest parts of the space behind the wall, in open places, I stationed the people according to their families, with their swords, their spears, and their bows.
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After I looked these things over, I stood up and said to the nobles and the officials and the rest of the people, "Do not be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for your kin, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your homes."
15
When our enemies heard that their plot was known to us, and that God had frustrated it, we all returned to the wall, each to his work.
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From that day on, half of my servants worked on construction, and half held the spears, shields, bows, and body-armor; and the leaders posted themselves behind the whole house of Judah,
17
who were building the wall. The burden bearers carried their loads in such a way that each labored on the work with one hand and with the other held a weapon.