Beginning
Those Against the Rebuilding
4 When Sanballat heard we were rebuilding the wall, he was very angry, even furious. He ·made fun of [mocked; ridiculed] the Jewish people. 2 He said to his ·friends [colleagues; L brothers] and ·those with power in [or the army/aristocracy of] Samaria, “What are these ·weak [feeble; pathetic] Jews doing? Will they ·rebuild the wall [or leave it all to God]? Will they offer sacrifices? Can they finish it in one day? Can they ·bring stones back to life from piles of trash and ashes [revive stones from piles of rubble—burnt stones at that]?”
3 Tobiah the Ammonite, who was ·next to Sanballat [L beside him], 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 [despised]. Turn the ·insults [taunts; sneers] of Sanballat and Tobiah back on their own heads. ·Let them be captured and stolen like valuables [Send them as plunder to a land of exile]. 5 Do not ·hide [cover; ignore] their guilt or ·take away [blot out] their sins so that you can’t see them, because they have ·insulted [deeply offended; or demoralized] the builders.”
6 So we rebuilt [L and connected/joined together] the wall to half its height, because the people were ·willing to [enthusiastic in their; L had a heart 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 [gaps; breaches] in the wall were being closed. 8 So they all made plans to come to Jerusalem and fight and ·stir up trouble [cause confusion/a disturbance]. 9 But we prayed to our God and appointed guards ·to watch for [L against] them day and night.
10 The people of Judah said, “The ·workers are getting tired [strength of the laborers is failing]. There is so much ·trash [debris; rubble] we cannot rebuild the wall.”
11 And our enemies said, “·The Jews [L They] 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 [warned] us repeatedly [L ten times], “·Everywhere you turn [From every direction], the enemy will attack us.” 13 So I ·put [stationed] people behind the lowest places along the wall—the ·open [exposed] places—and I ·put families together [stationed people by families] with their swords, spears, and bows. 14 ·Then I looked around and [After an inspection, I] stood up and said to the ·important men [nobles], the ·leaders [officials], and the rest of the people: “Don’t be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, who is great and ·powerful [awesome; glorious]. 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 [frustrated; thwarted] 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 [leaders] stood in back of the ·people [L house] of Judah 17 who were building the wall. Those who carried ·materials [loads] 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 [built]. The trumpeter [C to signal an attack] stayed next to me.
19 Then I said to the ·important people [nobles], the ·leaders [officials], and everyone else, “This is ·a very big job [demanding work]. We are spread out along the wall so that we are far apart. 20 Wherever you hear the sound of the trumpet, ·assemble there [rally to us here]. Our God will fight for us.”
21 So we continued to work with half the men holding spears from ·sunrise [dawn] till the stars came out. 22 At that time I also said to the people, “Let every man and his ·helper [servant] stay inside Jerusalem at night. They can be our guards at night and workmen during the day.” 23 Neither I, my ·brothers [colleagues], my ·workers [servants], nor the guards with me ever ·took off [changed] our clothes. Each person carried his weapon even when he went for water.
Nehemiah Helps Poor People
5 The men and their wives ·complained [cried out] loudly against their ·fellow Jews [L Jewish brothers]. 2 Some of them were saying, “We have many sons and daughters in our families. To eat and stay alive, we need grain [C This group may have owned no land that could provide them food.].”
3 Others were saying, “We are ·borrowing money [mortgaging; C from their fellow Jews, which increased their frustration] against our fields, vineyards, and homes to get grain ·because there is not much food [during the famine].”
4 And still others were saying, “We are borrowing money to pay the king’s tax on our fields and vineyards. 5 ·We are just like our fellow Jews [L Our flesh is like our brothers’ flesh], and our ·sons [children] are like their ·sons [children]. But we have to sell our sons and daughters ·as slaves [into bondage/slavery; C an often temporary servitude to satisfy debts; Ex. 21:2–11]. Some of our daughters have already been ·sold [enslaved]. But ·there is nothing we can do [we are powerless/helpless], because our fields and vineyards already belong to other people.”
6 When I heard their ·complaints about these things [L outcry and these words], I was very angry. 7 After ·I thought about [reflecting on] it, I ·accused [reprimanded] the ·important people [nobles] and ·leaders [officials], “You are ·charging your own ·brothers [kinsmen] interest [committing usury; C in these situations, lenders were not to make a profit; Deut. 24:10; Prov. 22:26].” So I called a ·large meeting to deal with [great assembly against] them. 8 I said to them, “·As much as possible [To the best of our ability], we have ·bought freedom for [redeemed] our fellow Jews who had been sold to ·foreigners [L the Gentiles]. Now you are selling your fellow Jews to us [C the creditors were selling their fellow Jews into slavery, requiring Nehemiah and others to buy them back]!” ·The leaders [L They] were ·quiet [silent] and ·had nothing [L couldn’t find a word] to say.
9 Then I said, “What you are doing is not ·right [good]. ·Don’t you fear [L Should you not walk in fear of] God [Prov. 1:7]? Don’t let our ·foreign [Gentile] enemies shame us. 10 I, my ·brothers [colleagues], and my ·men [servants] are lending money and grain to the people. But stop charging them ·for this [interest]. 11 Give back their fields, vineyards, olive trees, and houses ·right now [L this very day]. Also give back the ·extra amount [interest] you charged—·the hundredth part [one percent] of the money, grain, new wine, and oil.”
12 They said, “We will give it back and not demand anything more from them. We will do as you say.”
Then I called for the priests, and I made the ·important people [nobles] and ·leaders [officials] ·take an oath [swear; vow] to do what they had ·said [promised]. 13 Also I shook out the folds of my ·robe [L bosom] and said, “In this way may God shake out everyone who does not ·keep his [fulfill/L cause to stand this] promise. May God shake him out of his house and ·out of the things that are his [his possessions/property]. Let that person be shaken out and emptied!”
Then the whole ·group [assembly] said, “Amen,” and they praised the Lord. So the people did what they had ·promised [sworn; vowed].
14 I was appointed governor in the land of Judah in the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes’ rule [C 445 bc]. I was governor of Judah for twelve years, until his thirty-second year. During that time neither my ·brothers [colleagues; relatives; or officials] nor I ate the food that was allowed for a governor [C Nehemiah is demonstrating his own selflessness during this time]. 15 But the governors before me [C in contrast] had placed a heavy ·load [burden] on the people. They took ·about one pound [L forty shekels] of silver from each person, along with food and wine. ·The governors’ helpers before me [Their associates/assistants] also ·controlled [oppressed; dominated] the people, but I did not do that, because I feared God [Prov. 1:7]. 16 I ·worked [devoted myself to working] on the wall, as did all my ·men [servants] who were ·gathered [assembled] there. We did not buy any ·fields [land].
17 ·Also [Furthermore], I fed one hundred fifty Jewish people and ·officers [officials] at my table, as well as those who came from the nations around us. 18 This is what was prepared every day: one ox, six ·good [choice] sheep, and birds. And every ten days there were all kinds of wine [in abundance]. But I never demanded the food that was due a governor, because the people were already ·working very hard [carrying a great burden].
19 Remember ·to be kind to me [L for my good], my God, for all I have done for these people.
More Problems for Nehemiah
6 Then Sanballat, Tobiah, Geshem the Arab, and our other enemies heard that I had rebuilt the wall and that there was not one ·gap [breach] in it. But I had not yet set the doors in the gates. 2 So Sanballat and Geshem sent me this message: “Come, Nehemiah, let’s meet together in ·Kephirim [or one of the villages] on the plain of Ono.”
But they were ·planning [plotting; scheming] to harm me. 3 So I sent messengers to them with this answer: “I am ·doing [engaged in] a great work, and I can’t come down. ·I don’t want the work to [L Why should the work…?] stop while I leave to meet you.” 4 Sanballat and Geshem sent the same message to me four times, and each time I sent back the same answer.
5 The fifth time Sanballat sent his ·helper [servant; assistant] to me, and in his hand was an ·unsealed [open] letter. 6 This is what was written:
A report is going around to all the nations, and ·Geshem [Gashmu; C the same person as in 2:19] says it is true, that you and the Jewish people are planning to ·turn against the king [rebel; revolt] and ·that [therefore] you are rebuilding the wall. They say you are ·going [intending; planning; wishing] to be their king 7 and that you have ·appointed [anointed; established] prophets to ·announce [proclaim] in Jerusalem: “There is a king of Judah!” The king will hear about ·this [these reports/rumors]. So come, let’s ·discuss this [confer; take counsel] together.
8 So I sent him back this answer: “·Nothing you are saying is really happening. [We are not doing what you are saying.] You are just ·making it up [inventing/imagining them] in your own ·mind [L heart].”
9 Our enemies were trying to ·scare [intimidate; terrorize] us, thinking, “They will get too ·weak [discouraged; L their hands will grow slack] to work. Then the wall will not be finished.”
·But I prayed [So now], “God, ·make me strong [L strengthen my hands].”
10 ·One day [Then] I went to the house of Shemaiah son of Delaiah, the son of Mehetabel. Shemaiah ·had to stay at [was confined to his; C perhaps related to a vow or to ritual uncleanness] home. He said, “Nehemiah, let’s meet in the ·Temple [L house] of God. Let’s go inside the Temple and ·close [bar] the doors, because men are coming at night to kill you.”
11 But I said, “Should a man like me [C in his position] run away? Should I run ·for [to save] my life into the Temple [C to seek asylum; Ex. 21:13–14; 1 Kin. 1:50–53; 2:28–34; 2 Chr. 26:16–20; 27:2]? I will not go.” 12 I ·knew [realized; perceived; recognized] that God had not sent him but that Tobiah and Sanballat had ·paid [hired] him to prophesy against me. 13 They ·paid [hired] him to ·frighten [intimidate; terrorize] me so I would do this and sin. Then they could ·give me a bad name to shame [accuse and discredit/blame] me.
14 I prayed, “My God, remember Tobiah and Sanballat and what they have done. Also remember the prophetess Noadiah and the other prophets who have been trying to ·frighten [intimidate; terrorize] me.”
The Wall Is Finished
15 The wall of Jerusalem was completed on the twenty-fifth day of the month of Elul [C October 2, 515 bc]. It took fifty-two days to rebuild. 16 When all our enemies heard about it and all the nations around us saw it, they were ·shamed [disheartened; or amazed]. They ·understood [recognized; realized] that the work had been ·done [accomplished] with the help of our God.
17 Also in those days the ·important people [nobles] of Judah sent many letters to Tobiah, and he answered them. 18 Many ·Jewish people [L in Judah] ·had promised to be faithful [were under oath; had sworn allegiance] to Tobiah, because he was the son-in-law of Shecaniah son of Arah. And Tobiah’s son Jehohanan had married the daughter of Meshullam son of Berekiah. 19 ·These important people [L They] kept telling me about the good ·things [deeds] Tobiah was doing, and then they would tell Tobiah ·what I said about him [L my words]. So Tobiah sent letters to ·frighten [intimidate; terrorize] me.
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