1 And it happened, when Sanballat heard that we were building {bonim: ongoing construction} the wall, that he became angry and was exceedingly enraged; and he mocked {vayila‘ag: scornful speech} the Jews.
2 And he said before his brothers and the army of Samaria, “What are these feeble Jews doing? Will they restore {haya‘azvū: do it themselves} it for themselves? Will they offer sacrifices? Will they finish it in a day? Will they revive the stones from the heaps {mearemot: rubble piles} of dust, even though they are burned?”
3 And Tobiah the Ammonite, who was at his side, said, “Even what they are building {bonim: Ongoing Effort}—if a fox should climb up, it would break down their stone wall {chomat avneihem: Stone Enclosure}.”
4 Hear, our God {Eloheinu, Petition Receiver}, for we have become despised; return their reproach {kherpah: public disgrace} upon their head, and give them for spoil in a land of captivity.
5 And do not cover their guilt and do not blot out their sin {chatat: moral failure} from before You {Eloheinu, Righteous Judge}. For they have provoked You before the builders.
6 So we built the wall, and the entire wall was joined together up to half its height; and the heart {lev: inner resolve} of the people was set to work {laasot: diligent action}.
7 And it happened that when Sanballat, Tobiah, the Arabs, the Ammonites, and the Ashdodites heard that the repair {refa'ah: restoration work} to the walls of Jerusalem was advancing—for the breaches {peratzim: open gaps} had begun to be closed—they were exceedingly angry.
8 And all of them together plotted {vayyikesheru: secret scheme} to come and fight against Jerusalem and to cause confusion {to’ah: disruptive chaos} in it.
9 And we prayed to our God {Eloheinu, Protector} and set a watch as protection against them by day and by night because of them {mipneihem: hostile opposition}.
10 Then Judah said, “The strength of the burden-bearers {sabal: those carrying heavy loads} is failing, and there is much debris {afar: rubble and dust}, and we are not able to build on the wall.”
11 And our enemies said, “They will not know, and they will not see {yir'u: perceive threat} until we come into their midst, kill them, and cause the work {melakhah: rebuilding effort} to cease.”
12 And it happened that when the Judeans {hayehudim: Judean exiles} living near them came, they said to us ten times {peamim: repeated warnings}, “From every place where you turn, they will come against us.”
13 So I stationed {ahamid: fixed positions} men in the lowest parts behind the wall, at the open spaces {batsechichim: exposed openings}, and I assembled the people by families with their swords, their spears, and their bows.
14 And I saw, and I arose, and I said to the nobles and to the officials and to the rest of the people, “Do not fear them; remember the Lord {Adonai, Supreme Authority}, the great and awesome One. Fight {hilakhmu: engage in battle} for your brothers, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your houses.”
15 And it came to pass when our enemies heard that it had been made known to us, and God {haElohim: Protector and Intervener} had frustrated their counsel {ʿatsah: plan or scheme}, that we all returned to the wall, each man to his work.
16 And from that day {min hayom hahu: precise starting point} onward, half of my servants were engaged in the work, while the other half held the spears, the shields, the bows, and the body armors. And the officers {sarim: appointed commanders} stood behind all the house of Judah.
17 The builders on the wall and those bearing burdens {sevel: heavy loads} worked with one hand doing the work and with the other held a weapon {shelach: long weapon}.
18 And the builders each had his sword {kherev: close-combat weapon} fastened at his waist as they built, and the one who sounded the trumpet {shofar: signaling ram’s horn} was beside me.
19 And I said to the nobles, to the officials, and to the rest of the people, “The work {melakhah: communal endeavor} is great and extensive, and we are separated upon the wall, far apart {rechokim: physically distant}.”
20 In the place where you hear the trumpet sound, you must gather with us. Our God {Eloheinu, Divine Warrior} will fight for us {lanu: on our behalf}.
21 So we {anachnu: community members} labored on the work {melakhah: rebuilding task}, while half of them held spears, from the rising of the dawn until the stars came out.
22 And at that time I said, “Let each man and his young man lodge inside Jerusalem, and they shall be for us a guard {mishmar: watch, protective duty} by night and work {melakhah: labor, assigned task} by day.”
23 Neither I nor my brothers nor my young men nor the men of the guard {mishmar: protective watch} who followed me removed our garments; each man kept his weapon {shilcho: personal armament} at hand.