4:1 When Sanballat, Tobiah, the Arabs, the Amonites, and the people of Ashdod heard that the restoration of the walls of Jerusalem had moved ahead and that the breaches had begun to be closed, they were very angry. 4:2 All of them conspired together to move with armed forces¹ against Jerusalem and to create disturbance in it. 4:3 So we prayed to our God and stationed a guard to protect against them² both day and night. 4:4 Then those in Judah said, “The strength of the laborers³ has failed! The debris is so great that we are unable to rebuild the wall.”

4:5 Our adversaries also boasted,⁴ “Before they are aware or anticipate⁵ anything, we will come into their midst and we will kill them, and we will bring this work to a halt!”

4:6 So it happened that the Jews who were living near to them came and warned us repeatedly,⁶ “Wherever you turn, they will be on us!”

4:7 So I stationed people at the lower places behind the wall in the exposed places.⁷ I stationed the people by families, with their swords, spears, and bows. 4:8 When I had made inspection, I arose and said to the nobles, the officials, and the rest of the people, “Don’t be afraid of them. Remember the great and awesome Lord, and fight in behalf of your brothers, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your families.”

4:9 It so happened that when our adversaries heard that we were aware of these matters,⁸ God frustrated their intentions. Then all of us returned to the wall, each to his own work. 4:10 From that day, half of my men were doing the work and half of them were taking up spears,⁹ shields, bows, and body-armor. Now the officers were behind all the house of Judah 4:11 who were building the wall.¹⁰ Those who were carrying loads did so¹¹ by keeping one hand on the work and the other on his weapon. 4:12 The builders to a man had his sword strapped to his side while he was building. But the trumpet-blower¹² remained with me.

4:13 I said to the nobles, the officials, and the rest of the people, “The work is demanding and extensive, and we are spread out on the wall, far removed from one another. 4:14 Wherever you hear the sound of the trumpet, gather there with us. Our God will fight for us!”

4:15 So we worked on,¹³ with half¹⁴ holding spears, from dawn till dusk.¹⁵ 4:16 At that time I instructed¹⁶ 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. 4:17 We did not change clothes¹⁷—not I, nor my brethren, nor my workers, nor the watchmen who were with me. Each had his weapon, even when drinking.¹⁸