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]

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)