1. When Sanballat, the governor of Samaria, heard that we were rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem, he became angry and started insulting our people.
2. In front of his friends and the Samaritan army he said, “What is this feeble bunch of Jews trying to do? Are they going to rebuild the wall and offer sacrifices all in one day? Do they think they can make something out of this pile of scorched stones?”
3. Tobiah from Ammon was standing beside Sanballat and said, “Look at the wall they are building! Why, even a fox could knock over this pile of stones.”
4. But I prayed, “Our God, these people hate us and have wished horrible things for us. Please answer our prayers and make their insults fall on them! Let them be the ones to be dragged away as prisoners of war.
5. Don't forgive the mean and evil way they have insulted the builders.”
6. The people worked hard, and we built the walls of Jerusalem halfway up again.
7. But Sanballat, Tobiah, the Arabs, the Ammonites, and the people from the city of Ashdod saw the walls going up and the holes being repaired. So they became angry
8. and decided to stir up trouble, and to fight against the people of Jerusalem.
9. But we kept on praying to our God, and we also stationed guards day and night.
10. Meanwhile, the people of Judah were singing a sorrowful song:“So much rubble for us to haul!Worn out and weary,will we ever finish this wall?”
11. Our enemies were saying, “Before those Jews know what has happened, we will sneak up and kill them and put an end to their work.”
12. On at least ten different occasions, the Jews living near our enemies warned us against attacks from every side,
13. and so I sent people to guard the wall at its lowest places and where there were still holes in it. I placed them according to families, and they stood guard with swords and spears and with bows and arrows.
14. Then I looked things over and told the leaders, the officials, and the rest of the people, “Don't be afraid of your enemies! The Lord is great and fearsome. So think of him and fight for your relatives and children, your wives and homes!”