¹⁵ It so happened that when our adversaries heard that we were aware of these matters,^[a] God frustrated their intentions. Then all of us returned to the wall, each to his own work. ¹⁶ From that day forward, half my men were doing the work and half were taking up spears,^[b] shields, bows, and body armor. Now the officers were behind all the people^[c] of Judah ¹⁷ who were rebuilding the wall.^[d] Those who were carrying loads did so^[e] by keeping one hand on the work and the other on their weapon. ¹⁸ The builders, to a man, had their swords strapped to their sides while they were building. But the trumpeter^[f] remained with me.

¹⁹ I said to the nobles, the officials, and the rest of the people, “The work is demanding^[g] and extensive, and we are spread out on the wall, far removed from one another. ²⁰ Wherever you hear the sound of the trumpet, gather there with us. Our God will fight for us!”

²¹ So we worked on,^[h] with half^[i] holding spears, from dawn till dusk.^{[j] 22} At that time I instructed^[k] the people, “Let every man and his coworker spend the night in Jerusalem and let them be guards for us by night and workers by day.” ²³ We did not change clothes^[l]—not I, nor my relatives, nor my workers, nor the watchmen who were with me. Each had his weapon, even when getting a drink of water.^[m]