Opposition Begins
1 (a)But when Sanballat heard that we were rebuilding the wall, he became furious, completely enraged, and he ridiculed the Jews.
1 But it came to pass, that when Sanballat heard that we builded the wall, he was wroth, and took great indignation, and mocked the Jews.
1 (a)Now it came about that when (A)Sanballat heard that we were rebuilding the wall, he became furious and very angry and mocked the Jews.
1 (a)When Sanballat(A) heard that we were rebuilding the wall,(B) he became furious. He mocked the Jews(C)
1 When Sanballat heard that we were reconstructing the wall, he flew into a rage, became indignant, and mocked the Jews.
2 He spoke before his brothers and the army of Samaria, “What are these feeble Jews doing? Can they restore it for themselves? Can they offer sacrifices? Can they finish in a day? Can they revive the stones from the heaps of dust and rubbish, even the ones that have been burned?”
2 And he spake before his brethren and the army of Samaria, and said, What do these feeble Jews? will they fortify themselves? will they sacrifice? will they make an end in a day? will they revive the stones out of the heaps of the rubbish which are burned?
2 He spoke in the presence of his brothers and (B)the (b)wealthy men of Samaria and said, “What are these feeble Jews doing? Are they going to restore it for themselves? Can they offer sacrifices? Can they finish in a day? Can they revive the stones from the (c)(C)dusty rubble even the burned ones?”
2 before his colleagues and the powerful men(b) of Samaria,(D) and said, “What are these pathetic Jews doing? Can they restore it by themselves? Will they offer sacrifices? Will they ever finish it? Can they bring these burnt stones(E) back to life from the mounds of rubble?”(F)
2 He addressed his allies and the Samaritan officials, saying "What are these pathetic Jews doing? Are they intending to rebuild it by themselves? Do they intend to offer sacrifices? Will they finish in a single day? Can they make stones from this burned out rubble?"
3 Now Tobiah the Ammonite was beside him, and he said, “Even what they are building—if a fox should get up on it, he would break down their stone wall.”
3 Now Tobiah the Ammonite was by him, and he said, Even that which they build, if a fox go up, he shall even break down their stone wall.
3 Now Tobiah the Ammonite was near him and he said, “Even what they are building—(D)if a fox should (d)jump on it, he would break their stone wall down!”
3 Then Tobiah the Ammonite,(G) who was beside him, said, “Indeed, even if a fox(H) climbed up what they are building, he would break down their stone wall!”
3 Tobiah the Ammonite stood to the side, commenting, "If a fox were to jump onto what they're building, it would collapse their stone wall!"
Nehemiah Overcomes Opposition From Sanballat
4 [And Nehemiah prayed] Hear, O our God, how we are despised! Return their taunts on their own heads. Give them up as prey in a land of captivity.
4 Hear, O our God; for we are despised: and turn their reproach upon their own head, and give them for a prey in the land of captivity:
4 (E)Hear, O our God, how we are despised! (F)Return their reproach on their own heads and give them up for plunder in a land of captivity.
4 Listen, our God, for we are despised. Make their insults return on their own heads and let them be taken as plunder to a land of captivity.
4 "Listen, our God, because we are being mocked. Let their insults fall back on them, and let them be dragged away as captives into exile.
5 Do not forgive their wrongdoing and do not let their sin be wiped out before You, for they have offended the builders [and provoked You].
5 And cover not their iniquity, and let not their sin be blotted out from before thee: for they have provoked thee to anger before the builders.
5 Do not (e)(G)forgive their iniquity and let not their sin be blotted out before You, for they have (f)demoralized the builders.
5 Do not cover their guilt or let their sin be erased from Your sight, because they have provoked(c) the builders.(I)
5 Don't atone their iniquity, and don't let their sin be blotted out from before you, because they have demoralized the builders."
6 So we built the wall and the entire wall was joined together to half its height, for the people had a heart to work.
6 So built we the wall; and all the wall was joined together unto the half thereof: for the people had a mind to work.
6 So we built the wall and the whole wall was joined together to half its height, for the people had a (g)mind to work.
6 So we rebuilt the wall until the entire wall was joined together up to half its height, for the people had the will to keep working.(J)
6 So we rebuilt the wall, completing it halfway up, because the people were committed to working.
Opposition Stopped
7 (b)But when Sanballat, Tobiah, the Arabs, the Ammonites, and the Ashdodites heard that the repair of the walls of Jerusalem went on, and that the breaches were being closed, they were very angry.
7 But it came to pass, that when Sanballat, and Tobiah, and the Arabians, and the Ammonites, and the Ashdodites, heard that the walls of Jerusalem were made up, and that the breaches began to be stopped, then they were very wroth,
7 (h)Now when Sanballat, Tobiah, the Arabs, the Ammonites and the Ashdodites heard that the (i)repair of the walls of Jerusalem went on, and that the breaches began to be closed, they were very angry.
7 (d)When Sanballat, Tobiah, and the Arabs,(K) Ammonites, and Ashdodites heard that the repair to the walls of Jerusalem was progressing and that the gaps were being closed,(L) they became furious.(M)
7 But when Sanballat, Tobiah, the Arabs, the Ammonites, and the Ashdodites heard that the repair work on the Jerusalem wall was progressing and that its breaches were being repaired, they flew into a rage.
8 They all conspired together to come and to fight against Jerusalem, and to cause a disturbance in it.
8 And conspired all of them together to come and to fight against Jerusalem, and to hinder it.
8 All of them (H)conspired together to come and fight against Jerusalem and to cause a disturbance in it.
8 They all plotted together to come and fight against Jerusalem and throw it into confusion.
8 So they all conspired together to invade and fight against Jerusalem, creating confusion there.
9 But we prayed to our God, and because of them we set up a guard against them day and night.
9 Nevertheless we made our prayer unto our God, and set a watch against them day and night, because of them.
9 So we prayed to our God and stationed a guard because of them day and night.
9 But we prayed to our God. We also set up guards day and night because of them.
10 Then [the leaders of] Judah said,“The strength of the burden bearers is failing,And there is much rubble;We ourselves are unableTo rebuild the wall.”
10 And Judah said, The strength of the bearers of burdens is decayed, and there is much rubbish; so that we are not able to build the wall.
10 Thus (j)in Judah it was said,“The strength of the burden bearers is failing,Yet there is much (k)rubbish;And we ourselves are unableTo rebuild the wall.”
10 In Judah, it was said:(e)The strength of the laborer fails,since there is so much rubble.We will never be ableto rebuild the wall.
10 Meanwhile, the people of Judah said, "The builders are tired and there's so much rubble that we can't reconstruct the wall!"
11 Our enemies said, “They will not know or see us until we are among them, kill them and put a stop to the work.”
11 And our adversaries said, They shall not know, neither see, till we come in the midst among them, and slay them, and cause the work to cease.
11 Our enemies said, “They will not know or see until we come among them, kill them and put a stop to the work.”
11 And our enemies said, “They won’t know or see anything until we’re among them and can kill them and stop the work.”
11 Our enemies said, "Before they notice or see us, we'll penetrate their midst, kill them, and stop the work!"
12 When the Jews who lived near them came, they said to us ten times (repeatedly), “From every place you turn, they will come up against us.”
12 And it came to pass, that when the Jews which dwelt by them came, they said unto us ten times, From all places whence ye shall return unto us they will be upon you.
12 When the Jews who lived near them came and told us ten times, “(l)They will come up against us from every place where you may turn,”
12 When the Jews who lived nearby arrived, they said to us time and again,(f) “Everywhere you turn, they attack(g) us.”
12 The Jews who lived near them kept coming to us, reporting at least ten times, "They'll attack us from every direction."
13 So I stationed armed men behind the wall in the lowest places, at the open positions [where it was least protected]; and I stationed the people in families with their swords, spears, and bows.
13 Therefore set I in the lower places behind the wall, and on the higher places, I even set the people after their families with their swords, their spears, and their bows.
13 then I stationed men in the lowest parts of the space behind the wall, the (m)exposed places, and I (J)stationed the people in families with their swords, spears and bows.
13 So I stationed people behind the lowest sections of the wall, at the vulnerable areas. I stationed them by families with their swords, spears, and bows.
13 So I stationed the people by families behind the wall in the lower exposed areas, equipping them with their swords, spears, and bows.
14 When I saw their fear, I stood and said to the nobles and officials and the rest of the people: “Do not be afraid of them; [confidently] remember the Lord who is great and awesome, and [with courage from Him] fight for your brothers, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and for your homes.”
14 And I looked, and rose up, and said unto the nobles, and to the rulers, and to the rest of the people, Be not ye afraid of them: remember the Lord, which is great and terrible, and fight for your brethren, your sons, and your daughters, your wives, and your houses.
14 When I saw their fear, I rose and spoke to the nobles, the officials and the rest of the people: “(K)Do not be afraid of them; remember the Lord who is great and awesome, and (L)fight for your brothers, your sons, your daughters, your wives and your houses.”
14 After I made an inspection, I stood up and said to the nobles, the officials, and the rest of the people,(N) “Don’t be afraid of them.(O) Remember the great and awe-inspiring Lord, and fight for your countrymen, your sons and daughters, your wives and homes.”(P)
14 Looking things over, I stood up and spoke to the officials, the military leaders, and the rest of the people: "Don't fear them. Remember the great and awe-inspiring Lord. Fight for your brothers, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your homes."
Sword And Trowel
15 Now when our enemies heard that we knew about their plot against us, and that God had frustrated their plan, we all returned to the wall, each one to his work.
15 And it came to pass, when our enemies heard that it was known unto us, and God had brought their counsel to nought, that we returned all of us to the wall, every one unto his work.
15 When our enemies heard that it was known to us, and that (M)God had frustrated their plan, then all of us returned to the wall, each one to his work.
15 When our enemies heard that we knew their scheme and that God had frustrated it, every one of us returned to his own work on the wall.
15 Our opponents heard that we had learned about them, that God had brought their plans to failure, and that each and every one of us had come to work on the wall.
16 From that day on, half of my servants carried on the work while the other half held the spears, shields, bows, and breastplates; and the captains were behind the whole house of Judah.
16 And it came to pass from that time forth, that the half of my servants wrought in the work, and the other half of them held both the spears, the shields, and the bows, and the habergeons; and the rulers were behind all the house of Judah.
16 From that day on, half of my servants carried on the work while half of them held the spears, the shields, the bows and the breastplates; and the captains were behind the whole house of Judah.
16 From that day on, half of my men did the work while the other half held spears, shields, bows, and armor.(Q) The officers supported all the people of Judah,
16 From that day on, half of my helpers engaged in the work while the other half kept spears, shields, bows, and armor ready. The senior officials backed all of the Judeans
17 Those who were rebuilding the wall and those who carried burdens loaded themselves so that everyone worked with one hand and held a weapon with the other.
17 They which builded on the wall, and they that bare burdens, with those that laded, every one with one of his hands wrought in the work, and with the other hand held a weapon.
17 Those who were rebuilding the wall and those who carried burdens took their load with one hand doing the work and the other holding a weapon.
17 who were rebuilding the wall. The laborers who carried the loads worked with one hand and held a weapon with the other.
17 who worked on the wall. Those who carried building materials worked with one hand, carrying a spear in the other.
18 Every builder had his sword secured at his side as he built. And the one who sounded the trumpet [to summon the troops] stood at my side.
18 For the builders, every one had his sword girded by his side, and so builded. And he that sounded the trumpet was by me.
18 As for the builders, each wore his sword girded at his side as he built, while (n)the trumpeter stood near me.
18 Each of the builders had his sword strapped around his waist while he was building, and the trumpeter was beside me.
18 Each builder worked with a sword strapped to his side, while a trumpeter remained beside me to sound an alarm.
19 I said to the nobles, the officials and the rest of the people, “The work is great and extensive, and we are separated on the wall, far from one another.
19 And I said unto the nobles, and to the rulers, and to the rest of the people, The work is great and large, and we are separated upon the wall, one far from another.
19 I said to the nobles, the officials and the rest of the people, “The work is great and extensive, and we are separated on the wall far from one another.
19 Then I said to the nobles, the officials, and the rest of the people:(R) “The work is enormous and spread out, and we are separated far from one another along the wall.(S)
19 I told the officials, rulers, and the rest of the people, "The project is large and extensive, and we are separated from each other on the wall,
20 Wherever you hear the sound of the trumpet, gather to us there. Our God will fight for us.”
20 In what place therefore ye hear the sound of the trumpet, resort ye thither unto us: our God shall fight for us.
20 At whatever place you hear the sound of the trumpet, (o)rally to us there. (N)Our God will fight for us.”
20 so wherever you hear the sound of the trumpet, come over to us, and our God will fight for us!"
21 So we carried on with the work with half of them holding spears from dawn until the stars came out.
21 So we laboured in the work: and half of them held the spears from the rising of the morning till the stars appeared.
21 So we carried on the work with half of them holding spears from (p)dawn until the stars (q)appeared.
21 So we continued the work, while half of the men were holding spears from daybreak until the stars came out.
21 So we worked hard, half of us holding spears from dawn to dusk.
22 At that time I also said to the people, “Let each man with his servant spend the night inside Jerusalem so that they may serve as a guard for us at night and a laborer during the day.”
22 Likewise at the same time said I unto the people, Let every one with his servant lodge within Jerusalem, that in the night they may be a guard to us, and labour on the day.
22 At that time I also said to the people, “Let each man with his servant spend the night within Jerusalem so that they may be a guard for us by night and a laborer by day.”
22 At that time, I also said to the people, “Let everyone and his servant spend the night inside Jerusalem, so that they can stand guard by night and work by day.”
22 At the same time I told the people, "Let's have everyone sleep at night inside Jerusalem with their servants, so they can guard us at night and work during the day.
23 So neither I, my brothers (relatives), my servants, nor the men of the guard who followed me, none of us took off our clothes; each took his weapon [even] to the water.
23 So neither I, nor my brethren, nor my servants, nor the men of the guard which followed me, none of us put off our clothes, saving that every one put them off for washing.
23 So neither I, my brothers, my servants, nor the men of the guard who followed me, none of us removed our clothes, each took his weapon even to the water.
23 And I, my brothers, my men, and the guards with me never took off our clothes. Each carried his weapon, even when washing.(h)
23 No one neither I, my allies, my servants, nor the bodyguards who accompanied me changed clothes. Everyone carried a weapon even while going for water.