1And it came to pass, when Sanballat and Tobiyah, and the Arabians, and the ‘Ammonites, and the Ashdodites, heard that the walls of Jerusalem were restored, and that the breaches began to be closed up, that it displeased them greatly. 2And they conspired all of them together to come to fight against Jerusalem, and to do it an injury. 3But we prayed unto our God, and set a watch over them day and night, because of the others. 4And Judah said, The strength of the bearers of the burden is failing, and there is much rubbish; and we are not able to build on the wall. 5And our adversaries said, "They shall not know, nor see until we come in the midst of them, and slay them, and so stop the work." 6And it came to pass, when the Jews who dwelt near them came, that they said unto us ten times, "From all places whence ye may return home they intend to come over us." 7I placed therefore on the lower parts of the place on the naked rocks behind the wall—there I placed the people after their families with their swords, their spears, and their bows. 8And I looked about, and rose up, and said unto the nobles, and to the rulers, and to the rest of the people, Be not afraid of them: think on the Lord, the great and terrible, and fight for your brethren, your sons, and your daughters, your wives, and your houses. 9And it came to pass, that, when our enemies heard that it was known unto us, God frustrated their counsel: and we returned, all of us, to the wall, every one unto his work. 10And it came to pass from that day forth, that the half of my young men wrought at the work, while the other half of them were holding the spears, the shields, and the bows, and the coats of mail; and the princes stood behind all the house of Judah. 11Those that built on the wall, and those that bore burdens, with those that loaded,—every one with one of his hands wrought on the work, and with the other hand held a weapon. 12And the builders had every one his sword fastened around his loins while they were building; and he that blew the cornet stood alongside of me. 13And I said unto the nobles, and to the rulers, and to the rest of the people, The work is great and extensive, and we are separated upon the wall, distant one from another. 14In what place then ye hear the sound of the cornet, thither must ye assemble unto us: our God will fight for us. 15So we labored at the work, while the half of them were holding the spears from the rising of the morning-dawn till the stars appeared. 16Likewise at the same time said I unto the people, Let every one with his young man lodge within Jerusalem, so that they may be in the night a guard to us, and during the day for the labor. 17And neither I, nor my brothers, nor my young men, nor the men of the guard who followed me—none of us took off our clothes, no one leaving them off even for washing himself. 18 19 20 21 22 23