Nehemiah 4:1-14
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
Hostile Plots Thwarted
4 [a]Now when Sanballat heard that we were building the wall, he was angry and greatly enraged, and he mocked the Jews.(A) 2 He said in the presence of his associates and of the army of Samaria, “What are these feeble Jews doing? Will they restore it by themselves?[b] Will they offer sacrifice? Will they finish it in a day? Will they revive the stones out of the heaps of rubbish—burned ones at that?”(B) 3 Tobiah the Ammonite was beside him, and he said, “That stone wall they are building—any fox going up on it would break it down!”(C) 4 Hear, O our God, for we are despised; turn their taunt back on their own heads, and give them over as plunder in a land of captivity.(D) 5 Do not cover their guilt, and do not let their sin be blotted out from your sight, for they have raged against the builders.[c](E)
6 So we rebuilt the wall, and all the wall was joined together to half its height, for the people had a mind to work.
7 [d]But when Sanballat and Tobiah and the Arabs and the Ammonites and the Ashdodites heard that the repairing of the walls of Jerusalem was going forward and the gaps were beginning to be closed, they were very angry(F) 8 and all plotted together to come and fight against Jerusalem and to cause confusion in it. 9 So we prayed to our God and set a guard as a protection against them day and night.(G)
10 But Judah said, “The strength of the burden bearers is failing, and there is too much rubbish so that we are unable to work on the wall.” 11 And our enemies said, “They will not know or see anything before we come upon them and kill them and stop the work.” 12 When the Jews who lived near them came, they said to us ten times, “From all the places where they live[e] they will come up against us.”[f] 13 So in the lowest parts of the space behind the wall, in open places, I stationed the people according to their families,[g] with their swords, their spears, and their bows.(H) 14 After I looked these things over, I stood up and said to the nobles and the officials and the rest of the people, “Do not be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for your kin, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your households.”(I)
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Nehemiah 4:1-14
Holman Christian Standard Bible
Progress in Spite of Opposition
4 [a]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[b] 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 provoked[c] 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 [d]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:[e]
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 know or see anything 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,[f] “Everywhere you turn, they attack[g] 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)
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- Nehemiah 4:1 Neh 3:33 in Hb
- Nehemiah 4:2 Or the army
- Nehemiah 4:5 Or provoked [You] in front of
- Nehemiah 4:7 Neh 4:1 in Hb
- Nehemiah 4:10 Lit Judah said
- Nehemiah 4:12 Lit us 10 times
- Nehemiah 4:12 Or again from every place, “You must return to
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