'Us' in the Bible

When Sanballat the Horonite, Tobiah the Ammonite official, and Geshem the Arab heard about this, they mocked and despised us, and said, “What is this you’re doing? Are you rebelling against the king?”

I gave them this reply, “The God of heaven is the One who will grant us success. We, His servants, will start building, but you have no share, right, or historic claim in Jerusalem.”

When the Jews who lived nearby arrived, they said to us time and again, “Everywhere you turn, they attack us.”

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.

Wherever you hear the trumpet sound, rally to us there. Our God will fight for us!”

Some were saying, “We, our sons, and our daughters are numerous. Let us get grain so that we can eat and live.”

Even I, as well as my brothers and my servants, have been lending them money and grain. Please, let us stop charging this interest.

For they were all trying to intimidate us, saying, “They will become discouraged in the work, and it will never be finished.”But now, my God, strengthen me.

I went to the house of Shemaiah son of Delaiah, son of Mehetabel, who was restricted to his house. He said:Let us meet at the house of Godinside the temple.Let us shut the temple doorsbecause they are coming to kill you.They are coming to kill you tonight!

So now, our God—the great, mighty,and awe-inspiring God who keeps His gracious covenant—do not view lightly all the hardships that have afflicted us,our kings and leaders,our priests and prophets,our ancestors and all Your people,from the days of the Assyrian kings until today.

You are righteous concerning all that has come on us,because You have acted faithfully,while we have acted wickedly.

Its abundant harvest goes to the kingsYou have set over us,because of our sins.They rule over our bodiesand our livestock as they please.We are in great distress.

Didn’t your ancestors do the same, so that our God brought all this disaster on us and on this city? And now you are rekindling His anger against Israel by profaning the Sabbath!”