Nehemiah 4:1-14
Modern English Version
Opposition to the Rebuilding
4 When Sanballat heard that we were rebuilding the wall, he became angry and was greatly irritated, and he mocked the Jews. 2 He spoke before his relatives and the army of Samaria and said, “What are these feeble Jews doing? Are they fortifying themselves? Will they make sacrifices? Can they complete this in a day? Can they revive the burned-up stones out of the rubbish heaps?”
3 Now Tobiah the Ammonite was beside him, and he said, “Even what they are rebuilding, if even a fox climbed it, that would break down their stone wall.”
4 Hear, O our God, that we are despised. Turn their reproach back upon their own head, and give them as spoil in a land of captivity: 5 No longer cover their iniquity nor blot out their sin, which is before You since they have made insults against the builders.
6 So we rebuilt the wall until all of it was solidified up to half its height. The people had a passion for the work.
7 When Sanballat, Tobiah, the Arabians, the Ammonites, and the Ashdodites heard how the restoration of Jerusalem’s walls was progressing and how the breaches had begun to be sealed, it made them extremely furious. 8 So they all conspired together to fight against Jerusalem in order to cause it chaos. 9 Nevertheless we prayed to our God, and, because of them, we set up a watch for them day and night.
10 Judah had said, “The strength of the burden bearers is failing though there is much rubble. And we ourselves are unable to rebuild the wall.”
11 Our adversaries said, “They will neither know nor see until we have entered in among them and slain them. Indeed, we will stop the work!”
12 When the Jews living near them came, they told us ten times, “From every place where you turn, they will be against us.”
13 Therefore I set guards at the lowest positions along the wall and just inside the wall at the unrepaired areas. I also stationed the people by families providing them individually their own swords, spears, and bows. 14 After I looked around, I stood up and said to the nobles, the rulers, and the rest of the people, “Stop being terrified because of them! Remember instead that the Lord is great and awesome. So fight for each other—and for your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your houses.”
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Nehemiah 4:1-14
21st Century King James Version
4 But it came to pass that when Sanballat heard that we were building the wall, he was wroth and felt great indignation and mocked the Jews.
2 And he spoke before his brethren and the army of Samaria, and said, “What are these feeble Jews doing? Will they fortify themselves? Will they make sacrifice? Will they finish it in a day? Will they revive the stones out of the heaps of the rubbish which are burned?”
3 Now Tobiah the Ammonite was by him, and he said, “Indeed that which they build, if a fox go up, even he shall break down their stone wall.”
4 Hear, O our God, for we are despised; and turn their reproach upon their own head, and give them as a prey in the land of captivity.
5 And cover not their iniquity, and let not their sin be blotted out from before Thee; for they have provoked Thee to anger before the builders.
6 So built we the wall; and all the wall was joined together unto half its height, for the people had a mind to work.
7 But it came to pass that when Sanballat and Tobiah and the Arabians and the Ammonites and the Ashdodites heard that the walls of Jerusalem were being rebuilt, and that the breaches began to be stopped, then they were very wroth,
8 and conspired all of them together to come and to fight against Jerusalem and to hinder it.
9 Nevertheless we made our prayer unto our God, and set a watch against them day and night, because of them.
10 And Judah said, “The strength of the bearers of burdens is decayed, and there is much rubbish, so that we are not able to build the wall.”
11 And our adversaries said, “They shall not know, neither see, until we come in the midst among them and slay them and cause the work to cease.”
12 And it came to pass that when the Jews who dwelt by them came, they said unto us ten times, “From all places whence ye shall return unto us, they will be upon you.”
13 Therefore set I men in the lower places behind the wall, and on the higher places; I even set the people by families with their swords, their spears, and their bows.
14 And I looked, and rose up, and said unto the nobles and to the rulers and to the rest of the people, “Be not ye afraid of them; remember the Lord, who is great and fearsome, and fight for your brethren, your sons and your daughters, your wives and your houses.”
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