²¹ The eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you,” nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.”

¹⁶ From that day on, half of my servants worked on construction, and half held the spears, shields, bows, and body-armor, and the leaders posted themselves behind the whole house of Judah ¹⁷ who were building the wall. The burden bearers carried their loads in such a way that each labored on the work with one hand and with the other held a weapon. ¹⁸ And each of the builders had his sword strapped at his side while he built. The man who sounded the trumpet was beside me. ¹⁹ And I said to the nobles, the officials, and the rest of the people, “The work is great and widely spread out, and we are separated far from one another on the wall. ²⁰ Rally to us wherever you hear the sound of the trumpet. Our God will fight for us.”^(A)

²¹ So we labored at the work, and half of them held the spears from break of dawn until the stars came out.

The People’s Response

10 While Ezra prayed and made confession, weeping and throwing himself down before the house of God, a very great assembly of men, women, and children gathered to him out of Israel; the people also wept bitterly.^{(A) 2} Shecaniah son of Jehiel, of the descendants of Elam, addressed Ezra, saying, “We have broken faith with our God and have married foreign women from the peoples of the land, but even now there is hope for Israel in spite of this.^{(B) 3} So now let us make a covenant with our God to send away all these wives and their children, according to the counsel of my lord and of those who tremble at the commandment of our God, and let it be done according to the law.^{(C) 4} Take action, for it is your duty, and we are with you; be strong, and do it.”^{(D) 5} Then Ezra stood up and made the leading priests, the Levites, and all Israel swear that they would do as had been said. So they swore.^(E)

³² David said to Abigail, “Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, who sent you to meet me today!^(A)

³¹ He said, “Do not leave us, for you know where we should camp in the wilderness, and you will serve as eyes for us. ³² Moreover, if you go with us, whatever good the Lord does for us, the same we will do for you.”^(A)