While the enemies scoff, Nehemiah prayeth and continueth the work.

1 ¶ But it came to pass,² that when² Sanballatº heardºª that² we² buildedºª² the wall,º he was wroth,ºª and took great¹ª indignation,ºª² and mockedºª² the Jews.º 2 And he spakeºª beforeº his brethrenº and the armyº of Samaria,º and said,ºª What² doºª these feebleº Jews?º will they fortifyºª themselves? will they sacrifice?ºª will they make an endºª in a day?º will they reviveºª² the stonesº out of the heapsº² of the rubbishº which² are burned?ºª 3 Now Tobiahº the Ammoniteº [was] by² him,¹ and he said,ºª Even² that which² they² build,ºª if² a foxº go up,ºª he shall even break downºª their stoneº wall.º 4 Hear,ºª O our God;º for² we are² despised:º and turnºª their reproachº upon² their own head,º and giveºª them for a preyº in the landº of captivity:º 5 And coverºª² not² their iniquity,º and let not² their sinº be blotted outºª from beforeº² thee: for² they have provoked [thee] to angerºª before² the builders.ºª 6 So builtºª we² the wall;º and all² the wallº was joined togetherºª unto² the halfº thereof: for the peopleº had² a mindº to work.ºª

Understanding the wrath and secrets of the enemy, he setteth a watch.

7 ¶ But it came to pass,² [that] when² Sanballat,º and Tobiah,º and the Arabians,º and the Ammonites,º and the Ashdodites,º heardºª that² the wallsº of Jerusalemº were made up,ººª [and] that² the breachesºª beganºª to be stopped,ºª then they were veryº wroth,ºª 8 And conspiredºª all² of them togetherº to comeºª [and] to fightºª against Jerusalem,º and to hinderººª it. 9 Nevertheless we made our prayerºª unto² our God,º and setºª a watchº against² them dayº and night,º because¹ of²² them. 10 And Judahº said,ºª The strengthº of the bearers of burdensº is decayed,ºª and [there is] muchºª rubbish;º so that we² are not² ableºª to buildºª the wall.º 11 And our adversariesº said,ºª They shall not² know,ºª neither² see,ºª till²² we comeºª in² the midst¹ amongº them, and slayºª them, and cause² the workº to cease.ºª 12 And it came to pass,² that when² the Jewsº which dweltºª by² them¹ came,ºª they saidºª unto us tenº times,º From all²² placesº whence² ye shall returnºª unto² us [they will be upon you].

He armeth the labourers,

13 ¶ Therefore setºª I in the lowerº² placesº behindº² the wall,º [and] on the higher places,ºª¹ I even setºª² the peopleº after their familiesº with² their swords,º their spears,º and their bows.º 14 And I looked,ºª and rose up,ºª and saidºª unto² the nobles,º and to² the rulers,º and to² the restº of the people,º Be not² ye afraidºª of²² them:¹ rememberºª² the Lord,º [which is] greatº and terrible,ºª and fightºª for² your brethren,º your sons,º and your daughters,º your wives,º and your houses.º 15 And it came to pass,² when² our enemiesºª heardºª that² it was knownºª unto us, and Godº had brought¹ª their counsel¹ to nought,ºª²² that we returnedºª all² of us to² the wall,º every oneº unto² his work.º 16 And it came to pass² from² that² timeº forth, [that] the halfº of my servantsº wroughtºª in the work,º and the other halfº of them heldºª both the spears,º the shields,º and the bows,º and the habergeons;º and the rulersº [were] behindº all² the houseº of Judah.º 17 They which buildedºª on the wall,º and they that bareºª burdens,º with those that laded,ºª [every one] with oneº of his handsº wroughtºª in the work,º and with the otherº [hand] heldºª a weapon.º 18 For the builders,ºª every oneº had his swordº girdedºª by² his side,º and [so] builded.ºª And he that soundedºª the trumpetº [was] by² me.¹

and giveth military precepts.

19 ¶ And I saidºª unto² the nobles,º and to² the rulers,º and to² the restº of the people,º The workº [is] greatºª and large,º and we² are separatedºª upon² the wall,º oneº far² from¹ another.º² 20 In what² placeº [therefore] ye hearºª² the soundº of the trumpet,º resortºª ye thither² unto² us: our Godº shall fightºª for us. 21 So we² labouredºª in the work:º and halfº of them heldºª the spearsº from the risingºª² of the morningº till² the starsº appeared.ºª 22 Likewise² at the same² timeº saidºª I unto the people,º Let every oneº with his servantº lodgeºª withinº Jerusalem,º that in the nightº they may be² a guardº to us, and labourº on the day.º 23 So neither² I,² nor my brethren,º nor my servants,º nor the men¹² of the guardº which² followedº me, none² of usº put offºª our clothes,º [saving that] every oneº put them off¹² for washing.º