Nehemiah 4
1 When Sanballat, Tobiah, the Arabs, the Ammonites, and the Ashdodites heard that the repair of Jerusalem’s walls was progressing and the gaps were beginning to be closed, they were furious.
2 All of them plotted together to come and fight against Jerusalem and throw it into confusion.
3 But we prayed to our God and, because of them, posted a guard against them day and night.
4 Then Judah said, “The strength of the laborers is failing, and there is so much rubble. We cannot build the wall.”
5 Our adversaries said, “They will know nothing and see nothing until we come among them, kill them all, and put an end to the work.”
6 When the Jews who lived near them came, they told us ten times, from every direction, “Come back to us.”
7 So I stationed people in the lowest parts of the place, behind the wall, at the exposed sections. I stationed the people by families, with their swords, spears, and bows.
8 I looked things over, then stood up and said to the nobles, the officials, and the rest of the people, “Do not be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, great and fearsome, and fight for your brothers, your sons and daughters, your wives, and your homes.”
9 When our enemies heard that we had learned of their plan, God frustrated it, and all of us returned to the wall, each to his work.
10 From that day on, half of my men worked on the construction, while the other half held spears, shields, bows, and armor. The officers stood behind the whole house of Judah.
11 Those who built the wall and those who carried the loads worked with one hand while each held a weapon in the other.
12 Each of the builders wore his sword strapped at his waist as he built, and the one who sounded the trumpet stood beside me.
13 I said to the nobles, the officials, and the rest of the people, “The work is great and spread out, and we are scattered along the wall, far from one another.
14 Wherever you hear the sound of the trumpet, gather there with us. Our God will fight for us.”
15 So we carried on with the work, while half of them held spears, from the first light of dawn until the stars came out.
16 At that time I also told the people, “Each of you and your servant must spend the night inside Jerusalem, so they can guard us at night and work during the day.”
17 Neither I, nor my brothers, nor my men, nor the guards who followed me took off our clothes. Each kept his weapon with him, even when getting water.
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