| NET Bible | English Standard Version |
| 1Now when Sanballat heard that we were rebuilding the wall he became angry and was quite upset. He derided the Jews, | 1Now when Sanballat heard that we were building the wall, he was angry and greatly enraged, and he jeered at the Jews. |
| 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?" | 2And he said in the presence of his brothers and of the army of Samaria, “What are these feeble Jews doing? Will they restore it for themselves? Will they sacrifice? Will they finish up in a day? Will they revive the stones out of the heaps of rubbish, and burned ones at that?” |
| 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!" | 3Tobiah the Ammonite was beside him, and he said, “Yes, what they are building—if a fox goes up on it he will break down their stone wall!” |
| 4Hear, O our God, for we are despised! Return their reproach on their own head! Reduce them to plunder in a land of exile! | 4Hear, O our God, for we are despised. Turn back their taunt on their own heads and give them up to be plundered in a land where they are captives. |
| 5Do not cover their iniquity, and do not wipe out their sin from before them. For they have bitterly offended the builders! | 5Do not cover their guilt, and let not their sin be blotted out from your sight, for they have provoked you to anger in the presence of the builders. |
| 6So we rebuilt the wall, and the entire wall was joined together up to half its height. The people were enthusiastic in their work. | 6So we built the wall. And all the wall was joined together to half its height, for the people had a mind to work. |
| 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. | 7But 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 that the breaches were beginning to be closed, they were very angry. |
| 8All of them conspired together to move with armed forces against Jerusalem and to create a disturbance in it. | 8And they all plotted together to come and fight against Jerusalem and to cause confusion in it. |
| 9So we prayed to our God and stationed a guard to protect against them both day and night. | 9And we prayed to our God and set a guard as a protection against them day and night. |
| 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." | 10In Judah it was said, “The strength of those who bear the burdens is failing. There is too much rubble. By ourselves we will not be able to rebuild the wall.” |
| 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!" | 11And our enemies said, “They will not know or see till we come among them and kill them and stop the work.” |
| 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. | 12At that time the Jews who lived near them came from all directions and said to us ten times, “You must return to us.” |
| 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. | 13So in the lowest parts of the space behind the wall, in open places, I stationed the people by their clans, with their swords, their spears, and their bows. |
| 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!" | 14And I looked and arose and said to the nobles and to the officials and to 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 homes.” |
| 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. | 15When our enemies heard that it was known to us and that God had frustrated their plan, we all returned to the wall, each to his work. |
| 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 | 16From that day on, half of my servants worked on construction, and half held the spears, shields, bows, and coats of mail. And the leaders stood behind the whole house of Judah, |
| 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. | 17who were building on the wall. Those who carried burdens were loaded in such a way that each labored on the work with one hand and held his weapon with the other. |
| 18The builders to a man had their swords strapped to their sides while they were building. But the trumpeter remained with me. | 18And each of the builders had his sword strapped at his side while he built. The man who sounded the trumpet was beside me. |
| 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. | 19And I said to the nobles and to the officials and to the rest of the people, “The work is great and widely spread, and we are separated on the wall, far from one another. |
| 20Wherever you hear the sound of the trumpet, gather there with us. Our God will fight for us!" | 20In the place where you hear the sound of the trumpet, rally to us there. Our God will fight for us.” |
| 21So we worked on, with half holding spears, from dawn till dusk. | 21So we labored at the work, and half of them held the spears from the break of dawn until the stars came out. |
| 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. | 22I also said to the people at that time, “Let every man and his servant pass the night within Jerusalem, that they may be a guard for us by night and may labor by day.” |
| 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. | 23So neither I nor my brothers nor my servants nor the men of the guard who followed me, none of us took off our clothes; each kept his weapon at his right hand. |
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