| Berean Study Bible | New American Standard Bible 1995 |
| 1Now when Sanballat heard that we were rebuilding the wall, he was furious and filled with indignation. He ridiculed the Jews | 1Now it came about that when Sanballat heard that we were rebuilding the wall, he became furious and very angry and mocked the Jews. |
| 2before his associates and the army of Samaria, saying, “What are these feeble Jews doing? Can they restore the wall by themselves? Will they offer sacrifices? Will they complete it in a day? Can they bring these burnt stones back to life from the mounds of rubble?” | 2He spoke in the presence of his brothers and the wealthy 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 dusty rubble even the burned ones?" |
| 3Then Tobiah the Ammonite, who was beside him, said, “If even a fox were to climb up on what they are building, it would break down their wall of stones!” | 3Now Tobiah the Ammonite was near him and he said, "Even what they are building-- if a fox should jump on it, he would break their stone wall down!" |
| 4Hear us, O God, for we are despised. Turn their scorn back upon their own heads, and let them be taken as plunder to a land of captivity. | 4Hear, O our God, how we are despised! Return their reproach on their own heads and give them up for plunder in a land of captivity. |
| 5Do not cover up their iniquity or let their sin be blotted out from Your sight, for they have provoked the builders. | 5Do not forgive their iniquity and let not their sin be blotted out before You, for they have demoralized the builders. |
| 6So we rebuilt the wall until all of it was joined together up to half its height, for the people had a mind to work. | 6So we built the wall and the whole wall was joined together to half its height, for the people had a mind to work. |
| 7When Sanballat and Tobiah, together with the Arabs, Ammonites, and Ashdodites, heard that the repair to the walls of Jerusalem was progressing and that the gaps were being closed, they were furious, | 7Now when Sanballat, Tobiah, the Arabs, the Ammonites and the Ashdodites heard that the repair of the walls of Jerusalem went on, and that the breaches began to be closed, they were very angry. |
| 8and all of them conspired to come and fight against Jerusalem and create a hindrance. | 8All of them conspired together to come and fight against Jerusalem and to cause a disturbance in it. |
| 9So we prayed to our God and posted a guard against them day and night. | 9But we prayed to our God, and because of them we set up a guard against them day and night. |
| 10Meanwhile, the people of Judah said: “The strength of the laborer fails, and there is so much rubble that we will never be able to rebuild the wall.” | 10Thus in Judah it was said, "The strength of the burden bearers is failing, Yet there is much rubbish; And we ourselves are unable To rebuild the wall." |
| 11And our enemies said, “Before they know or see a thing, we will come into their midst, kill them, and put an end to the work.” | 11Our enemies said, "They will not know or see until we come among them, kill them and put a stop to the work." |
| 12At that time the Jews who lived nearby came and told us ten times over, “Wherever you turn, they will attack us.” | 12When the Jews who lived near them came and told us ten times, "They will come up against us from every place where you may turn," |
| 13So I stationed men behind the lowest sections of the wall, at the vulnerable areas. I stationed them by families with their swords, spears, and bows. | 13then I stationed men in the lowest parts of the space behind the wall, the exposed places, and I stationed the people in families with their swords, spears and bows. |
| 14After I had made an inspection, I stood up and said to the nobles, 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 brothers, your sons and your daughters, your wives and your homes.” | 14When I saw their fear, I rose and spoke to the nobles, 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 brothers, your sons, your daughters, your wives and your houses." |
| 15When our enemies heard that we were aware of their scheme and that God had frustrated it, each of us returned to his own work on the wall. | 15When our enemies heard that it was known to us, and that God had frustrated their plan, then all of us returned to the wall, each one to his work. |
| 16And from that day on, half of my servants did the work while the other half held spears, shields, bows, and armor. The officers stationed themselves behind all the people of Judah | 16From 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. |
| 17who were rebuilding the wall. The laborers who carried materials worked with one hand and held a weapon with the other. | 17Those 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. |
| 18And each of the builders worked with his sword strapped at his side. But the trumpeter stayed beside me. | 18As for the builders, each wore his sword girded at his side as he built, while the trumpeter stood near me. |
| 19Then I said to the nobles, the officials, and the rest of the people: “The work is great and extensive, and we are spread out far from one another along the wall. | 19I 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. |
| 20Wherever you hear the sound of the horn, rally to us there. Our God will fight for us!” | 20"At whatever place you hear the sound of the trumpet, rally to us there. Our God will fight for us." |
| 21So we continued the work, while half of the men held spears from the break of dawn until the stars came out. | 21So we carried on the work with half of them holding spears from dawn until the stars appeared. |
| 22At that time I also said to the people, “Let every man and his servant spend the night inside Jerusalem, so that they can stand guard by night and work by day.” | 22At 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." |
| 23So neither I nor my brothers nor my servants nor the guards with me changed out of our clothes; each carried his weapon, even to go for water. | 23So 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. |
| The Berean Bible (Berean Study Bible (BSB) © 2016, 2018 by Bible Hub and Berean.Bible. Used by Permission. All rights Reserved. | New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit //www.lockman.org |
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