Nehemiah Chapter 4
When Sanballat caught wind that we were putting up the wall, he was hella angry and started dissing the Jews.
But it came to pass, that when Sanballat heard that we builded the wall, he was wroth, and took great indignation, and mocked the Jews.
He was like, "What are these soft Jews tryna do? You think they can lift themselves up? Sacrifice? Wrap it all in a day? Bring those burnt stones back to life?"
And he spake before his brethren and the army of Samaria, and said, What do these feeble Jews? will they fortify themselves? will they sacrifice? will they make an end in a day? will they revive the stones out of the heaps of the rubbish which are burned? {fortify...: Heb. leave to themselves}
Tobiah the Ammonite rolled up too, saying, "If a fox hops on that wall, it’s definitely going down, no cap."
Now Tobiah the Ammonite {was} by him, and he said, Even that which they build, if a fox go up, he shall even break down their stone wall.
Yo, God, check this out; we're getting roasted: flip their shade back on them and make them prey in captivity, fr.
Hear, O our God; for we are despised: and turn their reproach upon their own head, and give them for a prey in the land of captivity: {despised: Heb. despite}
Don’t let their mess slide, and don’t forget their sins, 'cause they’ve made You mad in front of the builders.
And cover not their iniquity, and let not their sin be blotted out from before thee: for they have provoked {thee} to anger before the builders.
So we threw up the wall, and it was coming together halfway, 'cause the squad was totally vibing to grind.
So built we the wall; and all the wall was joined together unto the half thereof: for the people had a mind to work.
But then Sanballat, Tobiah, the Arabs, Ammonites, and Ashdodites found out that Jerusalem’s walls were getting fixed, and they were totally fuming.
But it came to pass, {that} when Sanballat, and Tobiah, and the Arabians, and the Ammonites, and the Ashdodites, heard that the walls of Jerusalem were made up, {and} that the breaches began to be stopped, then they were very wroth, {were made up: Heb. ascended}
They all joined forces to roll up on Jerusalem and mess with it.
And conspired all of them together to come {and} to fight against Jerusalem, and to hinder it. {to hinder...: Heb. to make an error to it}
But we prayed to our God and stayed on guard day and night, 'cause of them, periodt.
Nevertheless we made our prayer unto our God, and set a watch against them day and night, because of them.
Judah was like, "The crew’s worn out, and there’s a mountain of junk; we can't build the wall, it’s sus."
And Judah said, The strength of the bearers of burdens is decayed, and {there is} much rubbish; so that we are not able to build the wall.
Our enemies were saying, "They won’t see us coming until we’re right on top of them to take them out and stop the grind."
And our adversaries said, They shall not know, neither see, till we come in the midst among them, and slay them, and cause the work to cease.
Then the Jews living nearby came and warned us ten times, "They’re coming for you from every direction!"
And it came to pass, that when the Jews which dwelt by them came, they said unto us ten times, From all places whence ye shall return unto us {they will be upon you}. {From all...: or, That from all places ye must return to us}
So I positioned people in the low-key spots behind the wall and on the high spots, saying, "Grab your swords, spears, and bows!"
Therefore set I in the lower places behind the wall, {and} on the higher places, I even set the people after their families with their swords, their spears, and their bows. {in the...: Heb. from the lower parts of the place, etc}
I peeped, stood up, and told the nobles, rulers, and everyone, "Don’t be shook; remember the Lord, He’s lit, and fight for your fam!"
And I looked, and rose up, and said unto the nobles, and to the rulers, and to the rest of the people, Be not ye afraid of them: remember the Lord, {which is} great and terrible, and fight for your brethren, your sons, and your daughters, your wives, and your houses.
When our enemies figured out we knew what was good and God messed with their plans, we all returned to the wall and got back to work.
And it came to pass, when our enemies heard that it was known unto us, and God had brought their counsel to nought, that we returned all of us to the wall, every one unto his work.
From then on, half my squad worked while the other half held spears, shields, and bows, with the leaders backing Judah.
And it came to pass from that time forth, {that} the half of my servants wrought in the work, and the other half of them held both the spears, the shields, and the bows, and the habergeons; and the rulers {were} behind all the house of Judah.
Those building the wall and carrying loads were working with one hand and holding a weapon with the other, straight up.
They which builded on the wall, and they that bare burdens, with those that laded, {every one} with one of his hands wrought in the work, and with the other {hand} held a weapon.
Every builder had his sword strapped while working, and the dude blowing the trumpet was right next to me.
For the builders, every one had his sword girded by his side, and {so} builded. And he that sounded the trumpet {was} by me. {by his side: Heb. on his loins}
I told the nobles, rulers, and everyone, "The work is massive, and we’re spread out on the wall, so keep your eyes peeled."
And I said unto the nobles, and to the rulers, and to the rest of the people, The work {is} great and large, and we are separated upon the wall, one far from another.
Wherever you hear the trumpet blow, come to us; our God will fight for us, no cap.
In what place {therefore} ye hear the sound of the trumpet, resort ye thither unto us: our God shall fight for us.
So we hustled hard: half of them held spears from morning until the stars popped out.
So we laboured in the work: and half of them held the spears from the rising of the morning till the stars appeared.
I also told the people, "Let everyone and their squad stay in Jerusalem at night to guard us, and work during the day."
Likewise at the same time said I unto the people, Let every one with his servant lodge within Jerusalem, that in the night they may be a guard to us, and labour on the day.
So none of us, not me, my fam, my crew, or the guards, took off our clothes, except to wash them, fr.
So neither I, nor my brethren, nor my servants, nor the men of the guard which followed me, none of us put off our clothes, {saving that} every one put them off for washing. {saving...: or, every one went with his weapon for water}