18. Even the workers who were rebuilding the wall strapped on a sword. The worker who was to blow the signal trumpet stayed with me.
19. I told the people and their officials and leaders, “Our work is so spread out, that we are a long way from one another.
20. If you hear the sound of the trumpet, come quickly and gather around me. Our God will help us fight.”
21. Every day from dawn to dark, half of the workers rebuilt the walls, while the rest stood guard with their spears.
22. I asked the men in charge and their workers to stay inside Jerusalem and stand guard at night. So they guarded the city at night and worked during the day.
23. I even slept in my work clothes at night; my children, the workers, and the guards slept in theirs as well. And we always kept our weapons close by.