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The Work is Ridiculed

1But it came to pass, that when Sanballatheardthat we buildedthe wall,he was wroth,and took greatindignation,and mockedthe Jews.2And he spakebeforehis brethrenand the armyof Samaria,and said,What dothese feebleJews?will they fortifythemselves? will they sacrifice?will they make an endin a day?will they revivethe stonesout of the heapsof the rubbishwhich are burned?3Now Tobiahthe Ammonite[was] by him,and he said,Even that which they build,if a foxgo up,he shall even break downtheir stonewall.

4Hear,O our God;for we are despised:and turntheir reproachupon their own head,and givethem for a preyin the landof captivity:5And covernot their iniquity,and let not their sinbe blotted outfrom beforethee: for they have provoked [thee] to angerbefore the builders.

6So builtwe the wall;and all the wallwas joined togetherunto the halfthereof: for the peoplehad a mindto work.

7But it came to pass, [that] when Sanballat,and Tobiah,and the Arabians,and the Ammonites,and the Ashdodites,heardthat the wallsof Jerusalemwere made up,[and] that the breachesbeganto be stopped,then they were verywroth,8And conspiredall of them togetherto come[and] to fightagainst Jerusalem,and to hinderit.

Discouragement Overcome

9Nevertheless we made our prayerunto our God,and seta watchagainst them dayand night,becauseof them.

10And Judahsaid,The strengthof the bearers of burdensis decayed,and [there is] muchrubbish;so that we are not ableto buildthe wall.

11And our adversariessaid,They shall not know,neither see,till we comein the midstamongthem, and slaythem, and cause the workto cease.12And it came to pass, that when the Jewswhich dweltby themcame,they saidunto us tentimes,From all placeswhence ye shall returnunto us [they will be upon you].13Therefore setI in the lowerplacesbehindthe wall,[and] on the higher places,I even setthe peopleafter their familieswith their swords,their spears,and their bows.14And I looked,and rose up,and saidunto the nobles,and to the rulers,and to the restof the people,Be not ye afraidof them:rememberthe Lord,[which is] greatand terrible,and fightfor your brethren,your sons,and your daughters,your wives,and your houses.

15And it came to pass, when our enemiesheardthat it was knownunto us, and Godhad broughttheir counselto nought,that we returnedall of us to the wall,every oneunto his work.16And it came to pass from that timeforth, [that] the halfof my servantswroughtin the work,and the other halfof them heldboth the spears,the shields,and the bows,and the habergeons;and the rulers[were] behindall the houseof Judah.17They which buildedon the wall,and they that bareburdens,with those that laded,[every one] with oneof his handswroughtin the work,and with the other[hand] helda weapon.18For the builders,every onehad his swordgirdedby his side,and [so] builded.And he that soundedthe trumpet[was] by me.19And I saidunto the nobles,and to the rulers,and to the restof the people,The work[is] greatand large,and we are separatedupon the wall,onefar fromanother.20In what place[therefore] ye hearthe soundof the trumpet,resortye thither unto us: our Godshall fightfor us.

21So we labouredin the work:and halfof them heldthe spearsfrom the risingof the morningtill the starsappeared.22Likewise at the same timesaidI unto the people,Let every onewith his servantlodgewithinJerusalem,that in the nightthey may be a guardto us, and labouron the day.23So neither I, nor my brethren,nor my servants,nor the menof the guardwhich followedme, none of usput offour clothes,[saving that] every oneput them offfor washing.