ASV_Strong : Nehemiah 4
1. But it came to pass that[H5571], when Sanballat heard[H8085] that we were building[H1129] the wall[H2346], he was wroth[H2734], and took great[H7235] indignation[H3707], and mocked[H3932] the Jews[H3064].
2. And he spake[H559] before[H6440] his brethren[H251] and the army[H2428] of Samaria[H8111], and said[H559], What are these feeble[H537] Jews[H3064] doing[H6213]? will they fortify[H5800] themselves[H2076]? will they sacrifice? will they make an end[H3615] in a day[H3117]? will they revive[H2421] the stones[H68] out of the heaps[H6194] of rubbish[H6083], seeing they are burned[H8313]?
3. Now Tobiah[H2900] the Ammonite[H5984] was by him[H681], and he said[H559], Even that which they are building[H1129], if a fox[H7776] go up[H5927], he shall break down[H6555] their stone[H68] wall[H2346].
4. Hear[H8085], O our God[H430]; for we are despised[H939]: and turn[H7725] back their reproach[H2781] upon their own head[H7218], and give[H5414] them up for a spoil[H961] in a land[H776] of captivity[H7633];
5. and cover[H3680] not their iniquity[H5771], and let not their sin[H2403] be blotted out[H4229] from before[H6440] thee[H3707]; for they have provoked thee to anger before the builders[H1129].
6. So we built[H1129] the wall[H2346]; and all the wall[H2346] was joined together[H7194] unto half[H2677] the height thereof[H5971]: for the people had a mind[H3820] to work[H6213].
7. But it came to pass that[H5571], when Sanballat, and Tobiah[H2900], and the Arabians[H6163], and the Ammonites[H5984], and the Ashdodites[H796], heard[H8085] that the repairing of the walls[H2346] of Jerusalem[H3389] went forward[H724], and that the breaches[H6555] began[H2490] to be stopped[H5640], then they were very[H3966] wroth[H2734];
8. and they conspired[H7194] all of them together[H3162] to come[H935] and fight[H3898] against Jerusalem[H3389], and to cause confusion therein[H6213].
9. But we made our prayer[H6419] unto our God[H430], and set[H5975] a watch[H4929] against them day[H3119] and night[H3915], because of them[H6440].
10. And Judah[H3063] said[H559], The strength[H3581] of the bearers of burdens[H5449] is decayed[H3782], and there is much[H7235] rubbish[H6083]; so that we are not able[H3201] to build[H1129] the wall[H2346].
11. And our adversaries[H6862] said[H559], They shall not know[H3045], neither see[H7200], till we come[H935] into the midst[H8432] of[H8432] them[H2026], and slay them[H4399], and cause the work to cease[H7673].
12. And it came to pass that[H3064], when the Jews that dwelt[H3427] by them[H681] came[H935], they said[H559] unto us ten[H6235] times[H6471] from all places[H4725], Ye must return unto us[H7725].
13. Therefore set[H5975] I in the lowest[H8482] parts[H4725] of the space behind[H310] the wall[H2346], in the open places[H6706], I set[H5975] there the people[H5971] after their families[H4940] with their swords[H2719], their spears[H7420], and their bows[H7198].
14. And I looked[H7200], and rose up[H6965], and said[H559] unto the nobles[H2715], and to the rulers[H5461], and to the rest[H3499] of the people[H5971], Be not ye afraid[H3372] of them[H6440]: remember[H2142] the Lord[H136], who is great[H1419] and terrible[H3372], and fight[H3898] for your brethren[H251], your sons[H1121], and your daughters[H1323], your wives[H802], and your houses[H1004].
15. And it came to pass[H341], when our enemies heard[H8085] that it was known[H3045] unto us[H430], and God had brought[H6565] their counsel[H6098] to nought[H6565], that we returned[H7725] all of us to the wall[H2346], every one[H376] unto his work[H4399].
16. And it came to pass from that time[H3117] forth[H2677], that half of my servants[H5288] wrought[H6213] in the work[H4399], and half[H2677] of them held[H2388] the spears[H7420], the shields[H4043], and the bows[H7198], and the coats[H8302] of mail[H8269]; and the rulers were behind[H310] all the house[H1004] of Judah[H3063].
17. They all builded[H1129] the wall[H2346] and they that bare[H5375] burdens[H5447] laded[H6006] themselves[H259]; every one with one of his hands[H3027] wrought[H6213] in the work[H4399], and with the other[H259] held[H2388] his weapon[H7973];
18. and the builders[H1129], every one[H376] had his sword[H2719] girded[H631] by his side[H4975], and so builded[H1129]. And he that sounded[H8628] the trumpet[H7782] was by me[H681].
19. And I said[H559] unto the nobles[H2715], and to the rulers[H5461] and to the rest[H3499] of the people[H5971], The work[H4399] is great[H7235] and large[H7342], and we are separated[H6504] upon the wall[H2346], one[H376] far from[H7350] another[H251]:
20. in what place[H4725] soever ye hear[H8085] the sound[H6963] of the trumpet[H7782], resort[H6908] ye thither unto us[H430]; our God will fight for us[H3898].
21. So we wrought[H6213] in the work[H4399]: and half[H2677] of them held[H2388] the spears[H7420] from the rising[H5927] of the morning[H7837] till the stars[H3556] appeared[H3318].
22. Likewise at the same time[H6256] said[H559] I unto the people[H5971], Let every one[H376] with his servant[H5288] lodge[H3885] within[H8432] Jerusalem[H3389], that in the night[H3915] they may be a guard[H4929] to us[H4399], and may labor in the day[H3117].
23. So neither I[H251], nor my brethren, nor my servants[H5288], nor the men[H582] of the guard[H4929] that followed[H310] me[H587], none of us put off[H6584] our clothes[H899], every one[H376] went with his weapon[H7973] to the water[H4325].
Related Links: