The Walls of Jerusalem Are Almost Complete |
Nehemiah 4:1-23 The Book of Nehemiah in [Smaller Chunks] |
It [happened] that when Sanballat heard we [rebuilt] the wall, he was [angry, disgusted] & mocked the Jews. He [said] to his brethren & [Samaria’s] army, What [are] these feeble Jews [doing?] Will they [strengthen] themselves? |
Will they sacrifice? Will they [complete it] in a day? Will they revive the burned stones out of the rubbish heaps? Now, Tobias, the Ammonite, was by him & said, Even [what] they [have built is so weak] that if a fox [went] up, [it] would break down their stone wall. |
Hear [us] our God; for we are despised & turn their [disgust back] upon their own [heads & have] them be [like plunder] in the land of captivity. [Don’t] cover their iniquity, or let their sin be blotted out from before You. For they have provoked You to anger before the builders. |
So, we [rebuilt] the wall & all the wall was joined together [up to] 1/2 of [it:] for the [people’s minds were focused on this] work. When, Sanballat, Tobiah, the Arabians, the Ammonites & the Ashdodites heard the walls of Jerusalem were [almost completed & the gaps were almost closed,] they were very [angry.] |
And all of them conspired to come & fight against Jerusalem to [cause confusion.] [Still,] we [prayed] to our God, because of them & [put a guard to] watch [for] them [both] day & night. |
Judah said, We [aren’t] able to [finish building] the wall, [because of] the strength of [those who carry heavy loads] is [failing] & we have so much [garbage.] Our [enemies] said, They [won’t] know [or] see [us, until] we come in the midst of them & [kill] them & cause the work to [stop.] |
It [happened] when the Jews [who lived near] them came, they [told] us 10 times, [When] you return to us, they will be upon you, from all [directions.] Therefore, I [put] the people with their swords, spears & bows, [according to] their families in the lower & higher places on the wall. |
And I looked & rose up & said to the nobles, the rulers & to the rest of the people, [Don’t] be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, [Who] Is great & terrible & fights for your brethren, your sons, daughters, wives & houses. |
When our enemies heard that it was known to us & God had brought their [advice to be ineffective] & that we all returned, to work on the wall. And it [happened,] from that time [on,] 1/2 of my servants [did] the work & the other 1/2 [wore armor] & held pears, shields & bows. |
The rulers were behind all [of] the house of Judah. Everyone of [those who] built on the wall & [those who carried] burdens, with those [who] loaded, did the work with 1 of his hands & held a weapon with the other hand. For everyone of the builders hand his sword [strapped] by his side & [also built.] |
And he [who sounds] the trumpet, was by me. And I said to the nobles, rulers & to the rest of the people, The work is large, [considerable & very big] & we are separated on the wall, one far from another. |
In [whatever] place you hear the trumpet sound, [come] here to us. Our God shall fight for us. So, we labored in the work; 1/2 of them held spears from [sunrise until] the stars appeared. |
At the same time, I [also] said to the people, Let everyone & his servant lodge within Jerusalem, so that [at] night, they may be a guard [for] us & work [during] the day. |
So neither [did] I, nor my brethren, nor my servants, nor the men [who guarded] & followed me, [took] off our clothes, [except for when] everyone [took] them off for washing. |