1. (3:33) Now when Sanballat heard that we were rebuilding the wall he became angry and was quite upset. He derided the Jews,
2. and in the presence of his colleagues and the army of Samaria he said, “What are these feeble Jews doing? Will they be left to themselves? Will they again offer sacrifice? Will they finish this in a day? Can they bring these burnt stones to life again from piles of dust?”
3. Then Tobiah the Ammonite, who was close by, said, “If even a fox were to climb up on what they are building, it would break down their wall of stones!”
4. Hear, O our God, for we are despised! Return their reproach on their own head! Reduce them to plunder in a land of exile!
5. Do not cover their iniquity, and do not wipe out their sin from before them. For they have bitterly offended the builders!
6. So we rebuilt the wall, and the entire wall was joined together up to half its height. The people were enthusiastic in their work.
7. (4:1) When Sanballat, Tobiah, the Arabs, the Ammonites, 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.
8. All of them conspired together to move with armed forces against Jerusalem and to create a disturbance in it.
9. So we prayed to our God and stationed a guard to protect against them both day and night.
10. Then those in Judah said, “The strength of the laborers has failed! The debris is so great that we are unable to rebuild the wall.”
11. Our adversaries also boasted, “Before they are aware or anticipate anything, we will come in among them and kill them, and we will bring this work to a halt!”
12. So it happened that the Jews who were living near them came and warned us repeatedly about all the schemes they were plotting against us.
13. So I stationed people at the lower places behind the wall in the exposed places. I stationed the people by families, with their swords, spears, and bows.
14. When I had made an inspection, I stood up 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 on behalf of your brothers, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your families!”