Nehemiah 4
1NOW when Sanaballat heard that we were building the wall it appeared evil to him and he was much incensed, and railed against the Jews,
2and said before his brethren, Is the army of Somoron reduced to this, that these Jews are building their city? They are indeed offering sacrifice; but can they prevail? Can they heal the stones after being burned to a heap of dust?
3Thereupon Tobias the Ammonite came near him and said to them, Can they either sacrifice or eat in that place of theirs? Cannot a fox go up and demolish their stone walls?
4Near, O our God, how we are made a laughing stock, and turn their reproach back on their own head, and make them an object of derision in a land of captivity,
5and cover not their iniquity.
7But when Sanaballat and Tobias, and the Arabs and the Ammonites, heard that the walls of Jerusalem advanced in height, and that the breaches began to be stopped, it appeared to them very vexatious,
8and they all assembled together to come and attack Jerusalem, and lay it waste.
9Upon this we prayed to our God, and posted our guards against them day and night for fear of them,
10though Juda said, Were the power of these enemies broken, there is so much rubbish that we cannot rebuild the wall;
11and they who afflicted us said, They shall not know nor see till we are in the midst of them, and slay them, and cause the work to cease.
12And when the Jews who dwelt near them came and told us, They are coming against us from all quarters,
13I then posted, for the lowest parts of the place in the fortified posts behind the wall, the spear-men and bow-men; and stationed the people with their swords by communities;
14and having taken a view, I arose and said to the nobles, and to the officers, and to the rest of the people, Be not afraid of them. Remember our God Who is great and terrible; and fight for your brethren, your sons, your daughters, your wives and your houses.
15And when our enemies heard that we had got intelligence; and God had frustrated their designs, we all returned to the wall, every man to his work.
16And from that day one half of them who had been drawn off carried on the work, and the other half was kept ready with spears and shields, and bows and breastplates; and the chiefs were behind all the house of Juda
17who were building the wall. And they who were employed in carrying burdens were armed. With one hand they did their work, and with the other grasped a javelin.
18And the builders had every man his sword girded on his loins while they were building. And near every chief was a trumpeter with a horn.
19And I said to the nobles and to the chiefs, and to the rest of the people, The work is extensive and large, and we are scattered on the wall, one chief far from another.
20In what place soever you hear the sound of the trumpet, thither you must assemble to us, and our God will fight for us.
21So while we were carrying on the work, one half of them held their spears from break of day till the stars appeared.
22And at that time I said to the people, let every man with his youths, lodge in Jerusalem, and let the night be devoted to watching and the day to work.
23Now I myself mounted guard, and the men on duty attended me, and not a man of us put off our clothes.