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1 But it came to pass, when Sanballat and Tobiah, and the Arabians, and the Ammonites, heard that the building of the walls of Jerusalem was advancing, and that the breaches began to be stopped, that it appeared very grievous to them. 2 And all of them assembled together, to come to fight against Jerusalem, and to destroy it utterly. 3 So we prayed to our God and set watchmen against them day and night, because of them. 4 And Judah said, The strength of the enemies is broken, yet there is much rubbish, and we shall not be able to build the wall. 5 And they that afflicted us said, They shall not know, and they shall not see, until we come into the midst of them, and slay them, and cause the work to cease.
6 And it came to pass, when the Jews who lived near them came, that they said to us, They are coming up against us from every quarter. 7 So I set men in the lowest part of the place behind the wall in the lurking places, I even set the people according to their families, with their swords, their spears, and their bows. 8 And I looked, and arose, and said to the nobles, and to the captains, and to the rest of the people, Be not afraid of them: remember our great and terrible God, and fight for your brethren, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your houses.
9 And it came to pass, when our enemies heard that it was made known to us, and God had frustrated their counsel, that we all returned to the wall, every man to his work. 10 And it came to pass from that day that half of them that had been driven forth, wrought the work, and half of them kept guard; and there were spears, and shields, and bows, and breastplates, and rulers behind the whole house of Judah, 11 even of them that were building the wall—and those who carried the burdens were under arms: each with one hand wrought his work, and with the other held his dart. 12 And the builders wrought each man having his sword girded upon his loins, and so they built: and the trumpeter with his trumpet next to him. 13 And I said to the nobles, and to the rulers, and to the rest of the people, The work is great and abundant, and we are dispersed upon the wall, each at a great distance from his brother. 14 In whatsoever place ye shall hear the sound of the cornet, thither gather yourselves together to us; and our God shall fight for us.
15 So we continued laboring at the work: and half of them held the spears from the rising of the morning until the stars appeared. 16 And at that time I said to the people, Lodge ye every man with his servant in the midst of Jerusalem, and let the night be a watch time to you, and the day a work time. 17 And I was there, and the watchmen behind me, and there was not a man of us that put off his garments.