Nehemiah 4 – Bible | Equip God’s People

World English Bible Classic

^[1] But when Sanballat heard that we were building the wall, he was angry, and was very indignant, and mocked the Jews. ^[2] He spoke before his brothers and the army of Samaria, and said, “What are these feeble Jews doing? Will they fortify themselves? Will they sacrifice? Will they finish in a day? Will they revive the stones out of the heaps of rubbish, since they are burned?” ^[3] Now Tobiah the Ammonite was by him, and he said, “What they are building, if a fox climbed up it, he would break down their stone wall.” ^[4] “Hear, our God, for we are despised. Turn back their reproach on their own head. Give them up for a plunder in a land of captivity. ^[5] Don’t cover their iniquity. Don’t let their sin be blotted out from before you; for they have insulted the builders.” ^[6] So we built the wall; and all the wall was joined together to half its height, for the people had a mind to work. ^[7] But when Sanballat, Tobiah, the Arabians, the Ammonites, and the Ashdodites heard that the repairing of the walls of Jerusalem went forward, and that the breaches began to be filled, they were very angry; ^[8] and they all conspired together to come and fight against Jerusalem, and to cause confusion among us. ^[9] But we made our prayer to our God, and set a watch against them day and night because of them. ^[10] Judah said, “The strength of the bearers of burdens is fading and there is much rubble, so that we are not able to build the wall.” ^[11] Our adversaries said, “They will not know or see, until we come in among them and kill them, and cause the work to cease.” ^[12] When the Jews who lived by them came, they said to us ten times from all places, “Wherever you turn, they will attack us.” ^[13] Therefore I set guards in the lowest parts of the space behind the wall, in the open places. I set the people by family groups with their swords, their spears, and their bows. ^[14] I looked, and rose up, and said to the nobles, to the rulers, and to the rest of the people, “Don’t be afraid of them! Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for your brothers, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your houses.” ^[15] When our enemies heard that it was known to us, and God had brought their counsel to nothing, all of us returned to the wall, everyone to his work. ^[16] From that time forth, half of my servants did the work, and half of them held the spears, the shields, the bows, and the coats of mail; and the rulers were behind all the house of Judah. ^[17] Those who built the wall, and those who bore burdens loaded themselves; everyone with one of his hands did the work, and with the other held his weapon. ^[18] Among the builders, everyone wore his sword at his side, and so built. He who sounded the trumpet was by me. ^[19] I said to the nobles, and to the rulers and to the rest of the people, “The work is great and widely spread out, and we are separated on the wall, far from one another. ^[20] Wherever you hear the sound of the trumpet, rally there to us. Our God will fight for us.” ^[21] So we did the work. Half of the people held the spears from the rising of the morning until the stars appeared. ^[22] Likewise at the same time I said to the people, “Let everyone with his servant lodge within Jerusalem, that in the night they may be a guard to us, and may labor in the day.” ^[23] So neither I, nor my brothers, nor my servants, nor the men of the guard who followed me took off our clothes. Everyone took his weapon to the water.

King James Version

^[1] But it came to pass, that when SanballatH5571 heardH8085(QalPerf) that we buildedH1129(QalActPtc) the wall,H2346 he was wroth,H2734(QalImpf) and took greatH7235(HiphInf) indignation,H3707(QalImpf) and mockedH3932(HiphImpf) the Jews.H3064 ^[2] And he spakeH559(QalImpf) beforeH6440 his brethrenH251 and the armyH2428 of Samaria,H8111 and said,H559(QalImpf) What doH6213(QalActPtc) these feebleH537 Jews?H3064 will they fortifyH5800(QalImpf) themselves? will they sacrifice?H2076(QalImpf) will they make an endH3615(PielImpf) in a day?H3117 will they reviveH2421(PielImpf) the stonesH68 out of the heapsH6194 of the rubbishH6083 which are burned?H8313(QalPasPtc) ^[3] Now TobiahH2900 the AmmoniteH5984 [was] by him,H681 and he said,H559(QalImpf) Even that which they build,H1129(QalActPtc) if a foxH7776 go up,H5927(QalImpf) he shall even break downH6555(QalPerf) their stoneH68 wall.H2346 ^[4] Hear,H8085(QalImpv) O our God;H430 for we are despised:H939 and turnH7725(HiphImpv) their reproachH2781 upon their own head,H7218 and giveH5414(QalImpv) them for a preyH961 in the landH776 of captivity:H7633 ^[5] And coverH3680(PielImpf) not their iniquity,H5771 and let not their sinH2403 be blotted outH4229(NiphImpf) from beforeH6440 thee: for they have provoked [thee] to angerH3707(HiphPerf) before the builders.H1129(QalActPtc) ^[6] So builtH1129(QalImpf) we the wall;H2346 and all the wallH2346 was joined togetherH7194(NiphImpf) unto the halfH2677 thereof: for the peopleH5971 had a mindH3820 to work.H6213(QalInf) ^[7] But it came to pass, [that] when Sanballat,H5571 and Tobiah,H2900 and the Arabians,H6163 and the Ammonites,H5984 and the Ashdodites,H796 heardH8085(QalPerf) that the wallsH2346 of JerusalemH3389 were made up,H724 [and] that the breachesH6555(QalPasPtc) beganH2490(HiphPerf) to be stopped,H5640(NiphInf) then they were veryH3966 wroth,H2734(QalImpf) ^[8] And conspiredH7194(QalImpf) all of them togetherH3162 to comeH935(QalInf) [and] to fightH3898(NiphInf) against Jerusalem,H3389 and to hinderH6213(QalInf) it. ^[9] Nevertheless we made our prayerH6419(HithImpf) unto our God,H430 and setH5975(HiphImpf) a watchH4929 against them dayH3119 and night,H3915 becauseH6440 of them. ^[10] And JudahH3063 said,H559(QalImpf) The strengthH3581 of the bearers of burdensH5449 is decayed,H3782(QalPerf) and [there is] muchH7235(HiphInf) rubbish;H6083 so that we are not ableH3201(QalImpf) to buildH1129(QalInf) the wall.H2346 ^[11] And our adversariesH6862 said,H559(QalImpf) They shall not know,H3045(QalImpf) neither see,H7200(QalImpf) till we comeH935(QalImpf) in the midstH8432 amongH8432 them, and slayH2026(QalPerf) them, and cause the workH4399 to cease.H7673(HiphPerf) ^[12] And it came to pass, that when the JewsH3064 which dweltH3427(QalActPtc) by themH681 came,H935(QalPerf) they saidH559(QalImpf) unto us tenH6235 times,H6471 From all placesH4725 whence ye shall returnH7725(QalImpf) unto us [they will be upon you]. ^[13] Therefore setH5975(HiphImpf) I in the lowerH8482 placesH4725 behindH310 the wall,H2346 [and] on the higher places,H6706(Qere) I even setH5975(HiphImpf) the peopleH5971 after their familiesH4940 with their swords,H2719 their spears,H7420 and their bows.H7198 ^[14] And I looked,H7200(QalImpf) and rose up,H6965(QalImpf) and saidH559(QalImpf) unto the nobles,H2715 and to the rulers,H5461 and to the restH3499 of the people,H5971 Be not ye afraidH3372(QalImpf) of them:H6440 rememberH2142(QalImpv) the Lord,H136 [which is] greatH1419 and terrible,H3372(NiphPtc) and fightH3898(NiphImpv) for your brethren,H251 your sons,H1121 and your daughters,H1323 your wives,H802 and your houses.H1004 ^[15] And it came to pass, when our enemiesH341(QalActPtc) heardH8085(QalPerf) that it was knownH3045(NiphPerf) unto us, and GodH430 had broughtH6565 their counselH6098 to nought,H6565(HiphImpf) that we returnedH7725(QalImpf) all of us to the wall,H2346 every oneH376 unto his work.H4399 ^[16] And it came to pass from that timeH3117 forth, [that] the halfH2677 of my servantsH5288 wroughtH6213(QalActPtc) in the work,H4399 and the other halfH2677 of them heldH2388(HiphPtc) both the spears,H7420 the shields,H4043 and the bows,H7198 and the habergeons;H8302 and the rulersH8269 [were] behindH310 all the houseH1004 of Judah.H3063 ^[17] They which buildedH1129(QalActPtc) on the wall,H2346 and they that bareH5375(QalActPtc) burdens,H5447 with those that laded,H6006(QalActPtc) [every one] with oneH259 of his handsH3027 wroughtH6213(QalActPtc) in the work,H4399 and with the otherH259 [hand] heldH2388(HiphPtc) a weapon.H7973 ^[18] For the builders,H1129(QalActPtc) every oneH376 had his swordH2719 girdedH631(QalPasPtc) by his side,H4975 and [so] builded.H1129(QalActPtc) And he that soundedH8628(QalActPtc) the trumpetH7782 [was] by me.H681 ^[19] And I saidH559(QalImpf) unto the nobles,H2715 and to the rulers,H5461 and to the restH3499 of the people,H5971 The workH4399 [is] greatH7235(HiphInf) and large,H7342 and we are separatedH6504(NiphPtc) upon the wall,H2346 oneH376 far fromH7350 another.H251 ^[20] In what placeH4725 [therefore] ye hearH8085(QalImpf) the soundH6963 of the trumpet,H7782 resortH6908(NiphImpf) ye thither unto us: our GodH430 shall fightH3898(NiphImpf) for us. ^[21] So we labouredH6213(QalActPtc) in the work:H4399 and halfH2677 of them heldH2388(HiphPtc) the spearsH7420 from the risingH5927(QalInf) of the morningH7837 till the starsH3556 appeared.H3318(QalInf) ^[22] Likewise at the same timeH6256 saidH559(QalPerf) I unto the people,H5971 Let every oneH376 with his servantH5288 lodgeH3885(QalImpf) withinH8432 Jerusalem,H3389 that in the nightH3915 they may be a guardH4929 to us, and labourH4399 on the day.H3117 ^[23] So neither I, nor my brethren,H251 nor my servants,H5288 nor the menH582 of the guardH4929 which followedH310 me, none of usH587 put offH6584(QalActPtc) our clothes,H899 [saving that] every oneH376 put them offH7973 for washing.H4325

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