| New King James Version | Berean Study Bible |
| 1But it so happened, when Sanballat heard that we were rebuilding the wall, that he was furious and very indignant, and mocked the Jews. | 1Now when Sanballat heard that we were rebuilding the wall, he was furious and filled with indignation. He ridiculed the Jews |
| 2And he spoke before his brethren and the army of Samaria, and said, “What are these feeble Jews doing? Will they fortify themselves? Will they offer sacrifices? Will they complete it in a day? Will they revive the stones from the heaps of rubbish—stones that are burned?” | 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?” |
| 3Now Tobiah the Ammonite was beside him, and he said, “Whatever they build, if even a fox goes up on it, he will break down their stone wall.” | 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!” |
| 4Hear, O our God, for we are despised; turn their reproach on their own heads, and give them as plunder to a land of captivity! | 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. |
| 5Do not cover their iniquity, and do not let their sin be blotted out from before You; for they have provoked You to anger before the builders. | 5Do not cover up their iniquity or let their sin be blotted out from Your sight, for they have provoked the builders. |
| 6So we built the wall, and the entire wall was joined together up to half its height, for the people had a mind to work. | 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. |
| 7Now it happened, when Sanballat, Tobiah, the Arabs, the Ammonites, and the Ashdodites heard that the walls of Jerusalem were being restored and the gaps were beginning to be closed, that they became very angry, | 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, |
| 8and all of them conspired together to come and attack Jerusalem and create confusion. | 8and all of them conspired to come and fight against Jerusalem and create a hindrance. |
| 9Nevertheless we made our prayer to our God, and because of them we set a watch against them day and night. | 9So we prayed to our God and posted a guard against them day and night. |
| 10Then Judah said, “The strength of the laborers is failing, and there is so much rubbish that we are not able to build the wall.” | 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.” |
| 11And our adversaries said, “They will neither know nor see anything, till we come into their midst and kill them and cause the work to cease.” | 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.” |
| 12So it was, when the Jews who dwelt near them came, that they told us ten times, “From whatever place you turn, they will be upon us.” | 12At that time the Jews who lived nearby came and told us ten times over, “Wherever you turn, they will attack us.” |
| 13Therefore I positioned men behind the lower parts of the wall, at the openings; and I set the people according to their families, with their swords, their spears, and their bows. | 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. |
| 14And I looked, and arose and said to the nobles, to the leaders, and to the rest of the people, “Do not be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, great and awesome, and fight for your brethren, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your houses.” | 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.” |
| 15And it happened, when our enemies heard that it was known to us, and that God had brought their plot to nothing, that all of us returned to the wall, everyone to his work. | 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. |
| 16So it was, from that time on, that half of my servants worked at construction, while the other half held the spears, the shields, the bows, and wore armor; and the leaders were behind all the house of Judah. | 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 |
| 17Those who built on the wall, and those who carried burdens, loaded themselves so that with one hand they worked at construction, and with the other held a weapon. | 17who were rebuilding the wall. The laborers who carried materials worked with one hand and held a weapon with the other. |
| 18Every one of the builders had his sword girded at his side as he built. And the one who sounded the trumpet was beside me. | 18And each of the builders worked with his sword strapped at his side. But the trumpeter stayed beside me. |
| 19Then I said to the nobles, the rulers, and the rest of the people, “The work is great and extensive, and we are separated far from one another on the wall. | 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. |
| 20Wherever you hear the sound of the trumpet, rally to us there. Our God will fight for us.” | 20Wherever you hear the sound of the horn, rally to us there. Our God will fight for us!” |
| 21So we labored in the work, and half of the men held the spears from daybreak until the stars appeared. | 21So we continued the work, while half of the men held spears from the break of dawn until the stars came out. |
| 22At the same time I also said to the people, “Let each man and his servant stay at night in Jerusalem, that they may be our guard by night and a working party by day.” | 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.” |
| 23So neither I, my brethren, my servants, nor the men of the guard who followed me took off our clothes, except that everyone took them off for washing. | 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. |
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