Nehemiah 4:7–18

⁷Sanballat, Tobiah, and the people of Arabia, Ammon, and Ashdod heard that we were making progress in rebuilding the wall of Jerusalem and that the gaps in the wall were being closed, and they were very angry. ⁸So they all plotted together to come and attack Jerusalem and create confusion, ⁹but we prayed to our God and kept men on guard against them day and night.

¹⁰The people of Judah had a song they sang:

“We grow weak carrying burdens;

There’s so much rubble to take away.

How can we build the wall today?”

¹¹Our enemies thought we would not see them or know what was happening until they were already upon us, killing us and putting an end to our work. ¹²But time after time Jews who were living among our enemies came to warn us of the plans our enemies were making against us.^{g 13}So I armed the people with swords, spears, and bows, and stationed them by clans behind the wall, wherever it was still unfinished.

¹⁴I saw that the people were worried, so I said to them and to their leaders and officials, “Don’t be afraid of our enemies. Remember how great and terrifying the Lord is, and fight for your fellow-countrymen, your children, your wives, and your homes.” ¹⁵Our enemies heard that we had found out what they were plotting, and they realized that God had defeated their plans. Then all of us went back to rebuilding the wall.

¹⁶From then on half my men worked and half stood guard, wearing coats of armour and armed with spears, shields, and bows. And our leaders gave their full support to the people ¹⁷who were rebuilding the wall. Even those who carried building materials worked with one hand and kept a weapon in the other, ¹⁸and everyone who was building kept a sword strapped to his waist. The man who was to sound the alarm on the bugle stayed with me.