Nehemiah 4:15-23

International Standard Version

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 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 who worked on the wall. Those who carried building materials worked with one hand, carrying a spear in the other. ¹⁸ Each builder worked with a sword strapped to his side, while a trumpeter remained beside me to sound an alarm.^[a]

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 so wherever you hear the sound of the trumpet, come over to us, and our God will fight for us!” ²¹ So we worked hard, half of us holding spears from dawn to dusk.

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 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.