17. who were rebuilding the wall. The workers who were carrying loads did the work with one hand and held their weapons with the other,
18. and each builder had his sword fastened to his side. The man who was supposed to sound the trumpet alarm was with me.
19. I told the nobles, the leaders, and the rest of the people, “So much work has to be done in different places that we are widely separated from one another on the wall.
20. When you hear the trumpet, assemble around me. Our God will fight for us!”
21. So we continued to work. Half of us held spears from early dawn until the stars came out.
22. At that time I told the people, “Every man and his servant should stay overnight in Jerusalem so that we can set a guard at night and work during the day.”
23. My brothers, my servants, and the guards assigned to me never changed their clothes. Neither did I. We each kept our weapons at hand.