Nehemiah 4
New Century Version
Those Against the Rebuilding
4 When Sanballat heard we were rebuilding the wall, he was very angry, even furious. He made fun of the Jewish people. 2 He said to his friends and those with power in Samaria, “What are these weak Jews doing? Will they rebuild the wall? Will they offer sacrifices? Can they finish it in one day? Can they bring stones back to life from piles of trash and ashes?”
3 Tobiah the Ammonite, who was next to Sanballat, said, “If a fox climbed up on the stone wall they are building, it would break it down.”
4 I prayed, “Hear us, our God. We are hated. Turn the insults of Sanballat and Tobiah back on their own heads. Let them be captured and stolen like valuables. 5 Do not hide their guilt or take away their sins so that you can’t see them, because they have insulted the builders.”
6 So we rebuilt the wall to half its height, because the people were willing to work.
7 But Sanballat, Tobiah, the Arabs, the Ammonites, and the people from Ashdod were very angry when they heard that the repairs to Jerusalem’s walls were continuing and that the holes in the wall were being closed. 8 So they all made plans to come to Jerusalem and fight and stir up trouble. 9 But we prayed to our God and appointed guards to watch for them day and night.
10 The people of Judah said, “The workers are getting tired. There is so much trash we cannot rebuild the wall.”
11 And our enemies said, “The Jews won’t know or see anything until we come among them and kill them and stop the work.”
12 Then the Jewish people who lived near our enemies came and told us ten times, “Everywhere you turn, the enemy will attack us.” 13 So I put people behind the lowest places along the wall—the open places—and I put families together with their swords, spears, and bows. 14 Then I looked around and stood up and said to the important men, the leaders, and the rest of the people: “Don’t be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, who is great and powerful. Fight for your brothers, your sons and daughters, your wives, and your homes.”
15 Then our enemies heard that we knew about their plans and that God had ruined their plans. So we all went back to the wall, each to his own work.
16 From that day on, half my people worked on the wall. The other half was ready with spears, shields, bows, and armor. The officers stood in back of the people of Judah 17 who were building the wall. Those who carried materials did their work with one hand and carried a weapon with the other. 18 Each builder wore his sword at his side as he worked. The man who blew the trumpet to warn the people stayed next to me.
19 Then I said to the important people, the leaders, and everyone else, “This is a very big job. We are spreading out along the wall so that we are far apart. 20 Wherever you hear the sound of the trumpet, assemble there. Our God will fight for us.”
21 So we continued to work with half the men holding spears from sunrise till the stars came out. 22 At that time I also said to the people, “Let every man and his helper stay inside Jerusalem at night. They can be our guards at night and workmen during the day.” 23 Neither I, my brothers, my workers, nor the guards with me ever took off our clothes. Each person carried his weapon even when he went for water.
Neemia 4
La Nuova Diodati
4 Quando Sanballat venne a sapere che noi stavamo ricostruendo le mura, si adirò, s'indignò grandemente e scherní i Giudei,
2 e disse davanti ai suoi fratelli e ai soldati di Samaria: «Che cosa stanno facendo questi rammolliti Giudei? Si fortificheranno? Offriranno sacrifici? Finiranno in un giorno? Faranno forse rivivere le pietre consumate dal fuoco dai mucchi di macerie?».
3 Tobiah l'Ammonita, che gli stava a fianco, disse: «Costruiscano pure! Ma se una volpe vi sale sopra, farà crollare il loro muro di pietra!».
4 «Ascolta, o DIO nostro, perché siamo disprezzati! Fa' ricadere sul loro capo il loro vituperio e abbandonali al saccheggio in un paese di schiavitú!
5 Non coprire la loro iniquità e non permettere che il loro peccato sia cancellato davanti a te, perché ti hanno provocato ad ira davanti ai costruttori».
6 Noi dunque ricostruimmo le mura che furono congiunte assieme fino a metà della loro altezza; il popolo aveva preso a cuore il lavoro.
7 Quando però Sanballat, Tobiah, gli Arabi, gli Ammoniti e gli Asdodei vennero a sapere che la riparazione delle mura di Gerusalemme, progrediva e che le brecce cominciavano a chiudersi, si adirarono grandemente,
8 e tutti assieme congiurarono di venire ad attaccare Gerusalemme e a crearvi disordini.
9 Ma noi pregammo il nostro DIO e a causa di loro ponemmo contro di loro delle sentinelle di giorno e di notte.
10 Quelli di Giuda però dicevano: «Le forze dei portatori di pesi vengono meno, e le macerie sono tante che noi non riusciremo a costruire le mura!».
11 Inoltre i nostri avversari dicevano: «Essi non sapranno e non vedranno nulla, finché noi piomberemo in mezzo a loro e li uccideremo; cosí faremo cessare i lavori».
12 Ma quando i Giudei che dimoravano vicino a loro vennero per ben dieci volte a dirci: «Da qualsiasi parte vi volgerete, ci saranno addosso»,
13 io disposi uomini armati nei luoghi piú bassi dietro le mura; vi disposi il popolo per famiglie, con le loro spade, le loro lance e i loro archi.
14 Dopo aver esaminato la cosa mi levai e dissi ai notabili, ai magistrati e al resto del popolo: «Non abbiate paura di loro! Ricordatevi del Signore grande e tremendo e combattete per i vostri fratelli, per i vostri figli e figlie, per le vostre mogli e per le vostre case!».
15 Quando i nostri nemici seppero che eravamo informati della cosa e che DIO aveva fatto fallire il loro disegno, noi tutti tornammo alle mura, ciascuno al suo lavoro.
16 Da quel giorno, la metà dei miei servi si occupava dei lavori, mentre l'altra metà impugnava le lance, gli scudi, gli archi e indossava le corazze; i capi erano dietro tutta la casa di Giuda.
17 Quelli invece che costruivano le mura e quelli che portavano o caricavano i pesi, con una mano si occupavano dei lavori e con l'altra tenevano la loro arma.
18 Tutti i costruttori, lavorando, portavano ciascuno la spada cinta ai fianchi, mentre il trombettiere stava accanto a me.
19 lo dissi allora ai notabili, ai magistrati e al resto del popolo: «Il lavoro è grande ed esteso, e noi siamo sparsi sulle mura, distanti l'uno dall'altro.
20 Dovunque udrete il suono della tromba, là raccoglietevi presso di noi; il nostro DIO combatterà per noi».
21 Cosí proseguivamo il lavoro, mentre la metà degli uomini impugnava la lancia dallo spuntare dell'alba fino all'apparire delle stelle.
22 Nello stesso tempo dissi pure al popolo: «Ciascuno di voi rimanga con il suo servo dentro Gerusalemme, per fare la guardia per noi di notte e lavorare poi di giorno».
23 Cosí, né io né i miei fratelli né i miei servi né gli uomini di guardia che mi seguivano, ci toglievamo i vestiti; ma ognuno aveva la sua arma con acqua.
Nehemiah 4
Christian Standard Bible
Progress in Spite of Opposition
4 When Sanballat(A) heard that we were rebuilding the wall,(B) he became furious. He mocked the Jews(C) 2 before his colleagues and the powerful men[a] of Samaria(D) and said, “What are these pathetic Jews doing? Can they restore it by themselves? Will they offer sacrifices? Will they ever finish it? Can they bring these burnt stones(E) back to life from the mounds of rubble?” (F) 3 Then Tobiah the Ammonite,(G) who was beside him, said, “Indeed, even if a fox(H) climbed up what they are building, he would break down their stone wall!”
4 Listen, our God, for we are despised. Make their insults return on their own heads and let them be taken as plunder to a land of captivity. 5 Do not cover their guilt or let their sin be erased from your sight, because they have angered[b] the builders.(I)
6 So we rebuilt the wall until the entire wall was joined together up to half its height, for the people had the will to keep working.(J)
7 When Sanballat, Tobiah, and the Arabs,(K) Ammonites, and Ashdodites heard that the repair to the walls of Jerusalem was progressing and that the gaps were being closed,(L) they became furious.(M) 8 They all plotted together to come and fight against Jerusalem and throw it into confusion. 9 So we prayed to our God and stationed a guard because of them day and night.
10 In Judah, it was said:[c]
The strength of the laborer fails,
since there is so much rubble.
We will never be able
to rebuild the wall.
11 And our enemies said, “They won’t realize it[d] until we’re among them and can kill them and stop the work.” 12 When the Jews who lived nearby arrived, they said to us time and again,[e] “Everywhere you turn, they attack[f] us.” 13 So I stationed people behind the lowest sections of the wall, at the vulnerable areas. I stationed them by families with their swords, spears, and bows. 14 After I made an inspection, I stood up and said to the nobles, the officials, and the rest of the people,(N) “Don’t be afraid of them.(O) Remember the great and awe-inspiring Lord, and fight for your countrymen, your sons and daughters, your wives and homes.”(P)
Sword and Trowel
15 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. 16 From that day on, half of my men did the work while the other half held spears, shields, bows, and armor.(Q) The officers supported all the people of Judah, 17 who were rebuilding the wall. The laborers who carried the loads worked with one hand and held a weapon with the other. 18 Each of the builders had his sword strapped around his waist while he was building, and the one who sounded the ram’s horn was beside me. 19 Then I said to the nobles, the officials, and the rest of the people,(R) “The work is enormous and spread out, and we are separated far from one another along the wall.(S) 20 Wherever you hear the sound of the ram’s horn, rally to us there. Our God will fight for us!” (T) 21 So we continued the work, while half of the men were holding spears from daybreak until the stars came out. 22 At that time, I also said to the people, “Let everyone and his servant spend the night inside Jerusalem, so that they can stand guard by night and work by day.” 23 And I, my brothers, my servants, and the men of the guard with me never took off our clothes. Each carried his weapon, even when washing.[g]
The Holy Bible, New Century Version®. Copyright © 2005 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.
Copyright © 1991 by La Buona Novella s.c.r.l.
The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible®, and CSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers, all rights reserved.