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1. When Sanballat heard that we were building the wall of Jerusalem, he was very angry and upset. He started making fun of the Jews.
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1. But it came to pass H1961 , that when H834 Sanballat H5571 heard H8085 that H3588 we H587 built H1129 H853 the wall H2346 , he was wroth H2734 , and took great indignation H7235 H3707 , and mocked H3932 H5921 the Jews H3064 .
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2. Sanballat talked with his friends and the army at Samaria and said, "What are these weak Jews doing? Do they think we will leave them alone? Do they think they will offer sacrifices? Maybe they think they can finish building in only one day. They cannot bring stones back to life from these piles of trash and dirt. These are just piles of ashes and dirt!"
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2. And he spoke H559 before H6440 his brethren H251 and the army H2428 of Samaria H8111 , and said H559 , What H4100 do H6213 these feeble H537 Jews H3064 ? will they fortify H5800 themselves? will they sacrifice H2076 ? will they make an end H3615 in a day H3117 ? will they revive H2421 H853 the stones H68 out of the heaps H4480 H6194 of the rubbish H6083 which H1992 are burned H8313 ?
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3. Tobiah the Ammonite was with Sanballat. Tobiah said, "What do these Jews think they are building? If even a small fox climbed up on it, he would break down their wall of stones!"
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3. Now Tobiah H2900 the Ammonite H5984 was by H681 him , and he said H559 , Even H1571 that which H834 they H1992 build H1129 , if H518 a fox H7776 go up H5927 , he shall even break down H6555 their stone H68 wall H2346 .
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4. Nehemiah prayed and said, "Our God, listen to our prayer. These men hate us. Sanballat and Tobiah are insulting us. Make bad things happen to them. Make them ashamed, like people taken away as prisoners.
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4. Hear H8085 , O our God H430 ; for H3588 we are H1961 despised H939 : and turn H7725 their reproach H2781 upon H413 their own head H7218 , and give H5414 them for a prey H961 in the land H776 of captivity H7633 :
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5. Don't take away their guilt or forgive the sins they have done in your sight. They have insulted and discouraged the builders."
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5. And cover H3680 H5921 not H408 their iniquity H5771 , and let not H408 their sin H2403 be blotted out H4229 from before H4480 H6440 thee: for H3588 they have provoked thee to anger H3707 before H5048 the builders H1129 .
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6. We built the wall of Jerusalem all the way around the city. But it was only half as tall as it should be. We did this much because the people worked with all their heart.
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6. So built H1129 we H853 the wall H2346 ; and all H3605 the wall H2346 was joined together H7194 unto H5704 the half H2677 thereof : for the people H5971 had H1961 a mind H3820 to work H6213 .
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7. But Sanballat, Tobiah, the Arabs, the Ammonites, and the men from Ashdod were very angry. They heard that the people continued working on the walls of Jerusalem. They heard the people were fixing the holes in the wall.
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7. But it came to pass H1961 , that when H834 Sanballat H5571 , and Tobiah H2900 , and the Arabians H6163 , and the Ammonites H5984 , and the Ashdodites H796 , heard H8085 that H3588 the walls H2346 of Jerusalem H3389 were made up H5927 H724 , and that H3588 the breaches H6555 began H2490 to be stopped H5640 , then they were very H3966 wroth H2734 ,
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8. So all these men got together and made plans against Jerusalem. They planned to stir up trouble against Jerusalem. They planned to come and fight against the city.
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8. And conspired H7194 all H3605 of them together H3162 to come H935 and to fight H3898 against Jerusalem H3389 , and to hinder H6213 H8442 it.
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9. But we prayed to our God. And we put guards on the walls to watch day and night so that we could be ready to meet them.
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9. Nevertheless we made our prayer H6419 unto H413 our God H430 , and set H5975 a watch H4929 against H5921 them day H3119 and night H3915 , because of H4480 H6440 them.
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10. And so at that time the people of Judah said, "The workers are becoming tired. There is too much dirt and trash in the way. We cannot continue to build the wall.
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10. And Judah H3063 said H559 , The strength H3581 of the bearers of burdens H5449 is decayed H3782 , and there is much H7235 rubbish H6083 ; so that we H587 are not H3808 able H3201 to build H1129 the wall H2346 .
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11. And our enemies are saying, 'Before the Jews know it or see us, we will be right there among them. We will kill them and that will stop the work.'"
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11. And our adversaries H6862 said H559 , They shall not H3808 know H3045 , neither H3808 see H7200 , till H5704 H834 we come H935 in H413 the midst among H8432 them , and slay H2026 them , and cause H853 the work H4399 to cease H7673 .
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12. Then the Jews living among our enemies came and said this to us ten times, "Our enemies are all around us. They are everywhere we turn."
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12. And it came to pass H1961 , that when H834 the Jews H3064 which dwelt H3427 by H681 them came H935 , they said H559 unto us ten H6235 times H6471 , From all H4480 H3605 places H4725 whence H834 ye shall return H7725 unto H5921 us they will be upon you .
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13. So I put some of the people behind the lowest places along the wall, and I put them by the holes in the wall. I put families together, with their swords, spears, and bows.
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13. Therefore set H5975 I in the lower H4480 H8482 places H4725 behind H4480 H310 the wall H2346 , and on the higher places H6706 , I even set H5975 H853 the people H5971 after their families H4940 with H5973 their swords H2719 , their spears H7420 , and their bows H7198 .
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14. After looking over everything, I stood up and spoke to the important families, the officials, and the rest of the people. I said, "Don't be afraid of our enemies. Remember the Lord. The Lord is great and powerful! You must fight for your brothers, your sons, and your daughters! You must fight for your wives and your homes!"
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14. And I looked H7200 , and rose up H6965 , and said H559 unto H413 the nobles H2715 , and to H413 the rulers H5461 , and to H413 the rest H3499 of the people H5971 , Be not H408 ye afraid H3372 of H4480 H6440 them: remember H2142 H853 the Lord H136 , which is great H1419 and terrible H3372 , and fight H3898 for H5921 your brethren H251 , your sons H1121 , and your daughters H1323 , your wives H802 , and your houses H1004 .
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15. Then our enemies heard that we knew about their plans. They knew that God ruined their plans. So we all went back to work on the wall. Everyone went back to their own place and did their part.
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15. And it came to pass H1961 , when H834 our enemies H341 heard H8085 that H3588 it was known H3045 unto us , and God H430 had brought their counsel to naught H6565 H853 H6098 , that we returned H7725 all H3605 of us to H413 the wall H2346 , every one H376 unto H413 his work H4399 .
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16. From that day on, half of my men worked on the wall. The other half of my men were on guard, ready with spears, shields, bows, and armor. The army officers stood behind all the people of Judah who were building the wall.
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16. And it came to pass H1961 from H4480 that H1931 time H3117 forth, that the half H2677 of my servants H5288 wrought H6213 in the work H4399 , and the other half H2677 of them held H2388 both the spears H7420 , the shields H4043 , and the bows H7198 , and the habergeons H8302 ; and the rulers H8269 were behind H310 all H3605 the house H1004 of Judah H3063 .
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17. The builders and their helpers had their tools in one hand and a weapon in the other hand.
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17. They which built H1129 on the wall H2346 , and they that bore H5375 burdens H5447 , with those that laded H6006 , every one with one H259 of his hands H3027 wrought H6213 in the work H4399 , and with the other H259 hand held H2388 a weapon H7973 .
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18. Each of the builders wore his sword at his side as he worked. The man who blew the trumpet to warn the people stayed next to me.
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18. For the builders H1129 , every one H376 had his sword H2719 girded H631 by H5921 his side H4975 , and so built H1129 . And he that sounded H8628 the trumpet H7782 was by H681 me.
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19. Then I spoke to the leading families, the officials, and the rest of the people. I said, "This is a very big job and we are spread out along the wall. We are far from one another.
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19. And I said H559 unto H413 the nobles H2715 , and to H413 the rulers H5461 , and to H413 the rest H3499 of the people H5971 , The work H4399 is great H7235 and large H7342 , and we H587 are separated H6504 upon H5921 the wall H2346 , one H376 far H7350 from another H4480 H251 .
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20. So if you hear the trumpet, run to that place. We will all meet together there, and God will fight for us!"
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20. In what H834 place H4725 therefore ye hear H8085 H853 the sound H6963 of the trumpet H7782 , resort H6908 ye thither H8033 unto H413 us : our God H430 shall fight H3898 for us.
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21. So we continued to work on the wall of Jerusalem, and half the men held spears. We worked from the first light of the morning until the stars came out at night.
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21. So we H587 labored H6213 in the work H4399 : and half H2677 of them held H2388 the spears H7420 from the rising H4480 H5927 of the morning H7837 till H5704 the stars H3556 appeared H3318 .
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22. At that time I also said this to the people, "Every builder and his helper must stay inside Jerusalem at night. Then they can be guards at night and workers during the day."
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22. Likewise H1571 at the same H1931 time H6256 said H559 I unto the people H5971 , Let every one H376 with his servant H5288 lodge H3885 within H8432 Jerusalem H3389 , that in the night H3915 they may be H1961 a guard H4929 to us , and labor H4399 on the day H3117 .
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23. So none of us took off our clothes�not me, not my brothers, not my men, and not the guards. Each of us had our weapon ready at all times, even when we went to get water.
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23. So neither H369 I H589 , nor my brethren H251 , nor my servants H5288 , nor the men H376 of the guard H4929 which H834 followed H310 me, none H369 of us H587 put off H6584 our clothes H899 , saving that every one H376 put them off H7971 for washing H4325 .
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