Nehemiah 4

All 23 verses in the Clear Bible Translation. Tap a verse to compare the KJV and read what it means.

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1. 1When Sanballat found out we were rebuilding the wall, he was furious and felt great indignation, and he mocked the Jews.
2. 2He spoke in front of his brothers and the army of Samaria, saying, "What are these feeble Jews doing? Will they fortify themselves? Will they offer sacrifices? Will they finish in a day? Can they bring the stones back to life from these heaps of burned rubble?"
3. 3Tobiah the Ammonite was beside him and said, "Even what they build, if a fox climbs on it, it will break down their stone wall."
4. 4Hear, O our God, for we are despised. Turn their reproach back on their own heads and make them a prey in the land of captivity.
5. 5And cover not their iniquity, and let not their sin be blotted out from before you: for they have provoked you to anger before the builders.
6. 6So we built the wall, and the entire wall was joined together up to half its height, because the people were committed to the work.
7. 7But when Sanballat, Tobiah, the Arabians, the Ammonites, and the Ashdodites heard that the walls of Jerusalem were made up, and that the breaches began to be stopped, they were very angry.
8. 8They all plotted together to come and fight against Jerusalem and to hinder it.
9. 9We prayed to our God and set a watch against them day and night because of them.
10. 10And Judah said, "The strength of those who carry burdens has weakened, and there is so much rubble that we cannot build the wall."
11. 11And our enemies said, 'They will not know or see anything until we are among them, kill them, and stop the work.'
12. 12When the Jews who lived by them came, they said to us 10 times, From all places where you return to us they will be upon you.
13. 13So I stationed people in the lower areas behind the wall and in the higher places. I organized them by families, armed with swords, spears, and bows.
14. 14I looked around, then stood up and spoke to the nobles, the officials, and the rest of the people: "Don't be afraid of them! Remember the LORD, who is great and terrible, and fight for your brothers, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your homes."
15. 15When our enemies learned that we knew about their plan and that God had ruined it, we all went back to the wall, each person returning to their work.
16. 16From that day on, half of my men worked on construction while the other half stood guard with spears, shields, bows, and armor. The officials were behind all the house of Judah.
17. 17Those who built the wall and those who carried materials all worked with one hand and held a weapon in the other.
18. 18Every builder wore a sword strapped to his side as he worked. The man who sounded the trumpet stayed right beside me.
19. 19I said to the nobles, the rulers, and the rest of the people, "The work is great and spread out, and we are separated along the wall, far from one another."
20. 20Wherever you hear the trumpet blast, rush to that spot and join us there. Our God will fight for us."
21. 21So we labored in the work, and half of the men held their spears from the break of dawn until the stars appeared.
22. 22I also told the people at that time, "Every worker and his servant must spend the night inside Jerusalem so they can stand guard for us at night and work during the day."
23. 23None of us—neither I, nor my brothers, nor my servants, nor the guards with me—took off our clothes, except when we removed them for washing.