| Holman Christian Standard Bible | NET Bible |
| 1When Sanballat heard that we were rebuilding the wall, he became furious. He mocked the Jews | 1Now when Sanballat heard that we were rebuilding the wall he became angry and was quite upset. He derided the Jews, |
| 2before his colleagues and the powerful men of Samaria, and said, "What are these pathetic Jews doing? Can they restore it by themselves? Will they offer sacrifices? Will they ever finish it? Can they bring these burnt stones back to life from the mounds of rubble?" | 2and in the presence of his colleagues and the army of Samaria he said, "What are these feeble Jews doing? Will they be left to themselves? Will they again offer sacrifice? Will they finish this in a day? Can they bring these burnt stones to life again from piles of dust?" |
| 3Then Tobiah the Ammonite, who was beside him, said, "Indeed, even if a fox climbed up what they are building, he would break down their stone wall!" | 3Then Tobiah the Ammonite, who was close by, said, "If even a fox were to climb up on what they are building, it would break down their wall of stones!" |
| 4Listen, our God, for we are despised. Make their insults return on their own heads and let them be taken as plunder to a land of captivity. | 4Hear, O our God, for we are despised! Return their reproach on their own head! Reduce them to plunder in a land of exile! |
| 5Do not cover their guilt or let their sin be erased from Your sight, because they have provoked the builders. | 5Do not cover their iniquity, and do not wipe out their sin from before them. For they have bitterly offended the builders! |
| 6So we rebuilt the wall until the entire wall was joined together up to half its height, for the people had the will to keep working. | 6So we rebuilt the wall, and the entire wall was joined together up to half its height. The people were enthusiastic in their work. |
| 7When Sanballat, Tobiah, and the Arabs, Ammonites, and Ashdodites heard that the repair to the walls of Jerusalem was progressing and that the gaps were being closed, they became furious. | 7When Sanballat, Tobiah, the Arabs, the Ammonites, and the people of Ashdod heard that the restoration of the walls of Jerusalem had moved ahead and that the breaches had begun to be closed, they were very angry. |
| 8They all plotted together to come and fight against Jerusalem and throw it into confusion. | 8All of them conspired together to move with armed forces against Jerusalem and to create a disturbance in it. |
| 9So we prayed to our God and stationed a guard because of them day and night. | 9So we prayed to our God and stationed a guard to protect against them both day and night. |
| 10In Judah, it was said: The strength of the laborer fails, since there is so much rubble. We will never be able to rebuild the wall. | 10Then those in Judah said, "The strength of the laborers has failed! The debris is so great that we are unable to rebuild the wall." |
| 11And our enemies said, "They won't know or see anything until we're among them and can kill them and stop the work." | 11Our adversaries also boasted, "Before they are aware or anticipate anything, we will come in among them and kill them, and we will bring this work to a halt!" |
| 12When the Jews who lived nearby arrived, they said to us time and again, "Everywhere you turn, they attack us." | 12So it happened that the Jews who were living near them came and warned us repeatedly about all the schemes they were plotting against us. |
| 13So I stationed people behind the lowest sections of the wall, at the vulnerable areas. I stationed them by families with their swords, spears, and bows. | 13So I stationed people at the lower places behind the wall in the exposed places. I stationed the people by families, with their swords, spears, and bows. |
| 14After I made an inspection, I stood up and said to the nobles, the officials, and the rest of the people, "Don't be afraid of them. Remember the great and awe-inspiring Lord, and fight for your countrymen, your sons and daughters, your wives and homes." | 14When I had made an inspection, I stood up and said to the nobles, the officials, and the rest of the people, "Don't be afraid of them. Remember the great and awesome Lord, and fight on behalf of your brothers, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your families!" |
| 15When our enemies heard that we knew their scheme and that God had frustrated it, every one of us returned to his own work on the wall. | 15It so happened that when our adversaries heard that we were aware of these matters, God frustrated their intentions. Then all of us returned to the wall, each to his own work. |
| 16From that day on, half of my men did the work while the other half held spears, shields, bows, and armor. The officers supported all the people of Judah, | 16From that day forward, half of my men were doing the work and half of them were taking up spears, shields, bows, and body armor. Now the officers were behind all the people of Judah |
| 17who were rebuilding the wall. The laborers who carried the loads worked with one hand and held a weapon with the other. | 17who were rebuilding the wall. Those who were carrying loads did so by keeping one hand on the work and the other on their weapon. |
| 18Each of the builders had his sword strapped around his waist while he was building, and the trumpeter was beside me. | 18The builders to a man had their swords strapped to their sides while they were building. But the trumpeter remained with me. |
| 19Then I said to the nobles, the officials, and the rest of the people: "The work is enormous and spread out, and we are separated far from one another along the wall. | 19I said to the nobles, the officials, and the rest of the people, "The work is demanding and extensive, and we are spread out on the wall, far removed from one another. |
| 20Wherever you hear the trumpet sound, rally to us there. Our God will fight for us!" | 20Wherever you hear the sound of the trumpet, gather there with us. Our God will fight for us!" |
| 21So we continued the work, while half of the men were holding spears from daybreak until the stars came out. | 21So we worked on, with half holding spears, from dawn till dusk. |
| 22At that time, I also said to the people, "Let everyone and his servant spend the night inside Jerusalem, so that they can stand guard by night and work by day." | 22At that time I instructed the people, "Let every man and his coworker spend the night in Jerusalem and let them be guards for us by night and workers by day. |
| 23And I, my brothers, my men, and the guards with me never took off our clothes. Each carried his weapon, even when washing. | 23We did not change clothes--not I, nor my relatives, nor my workers, nor the watchmen who were with me. Each had his weapon, even when getting a drink of water. |
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