1   And it came to passe, when Sanaballat had heard that we builded the wal, he was very angrie: and being

moued excedingly he scorned the Iewes.

2   and sayd before his bretheren, and the multitude of the Samaritanes: What doe ^notethe sillie Iewes? Wil the gentiles let them alone? Shal they sacrifice and accomplish in one day? Why, are they able to build vp the stones out of the heapes of dust, that are burnt?

3   Yea Tobias also the Ammanite his neighbour sayd: Let them build: if a fox come vp, he shal leape ouer their stone wal.

4   Heare our God, because we are had in dispise: turne the reproch vpon their head, and giue them into dispite in a Land of captiuitie.

5   Couer not their iniquitie, and let not their sinne be put out before thy face, because they haue mocked thy builders.

6   Therfore we built the wal, and ioyned together the whole vnto the halfe part: and the hart of the people was prouoked to worke.

7   And it came to passe, when Sanaballat had heard, and Tobias, and the Arabians, and the Ammanites, and the Azotians, that the breach of the wal of Ierusalem was closed vp, and the gates began to be stopped, they were wrath excedingly.

8   And they were al assembled together, to come, and to fight against Ierusalem, and to prepare embushments.

9   And we prayed our God, and set watchmen vpon the wal day and night against them.

10   And Iudas sayd: The strength of him that carrieth is weakened, & the morter is very much, and we shal not be able to build the wal.

11   And our enimies sayd: Let them not know, and let them be ignorant, til we come into the midest of them, and kil them, and make their worke to cease.

12   And it came to passe, the Iewes that dwelt beside them, coming and telling vs ten times, out of al places from whence they came to vs,

13   I sette the people in a place behind the wal round about in order, with their swordes, and speares, and bowes.

14   And I looked and rose vp: & I sayd to the princes and magistrates, and to the rest of the common people: Be not afrayd at their face: Remember our Lord great and terrible, and fight for your bretheren, your sonnes, and your daughters, and your wiues, and your houses.

15   And it came to passe, when our enimies had heard that it was told vs, God defeted their counsel. And we returned al to the walles, euery man to his worke.

16   And it came to passe from that day, the halfe part of their yongmen did the worke, and halfe was ready to battel, and speares, & sheilds, and bowes, and cotes of mayle, and the princes behind them in al the house of Iuda

17   of

Nehemias. them that built in the wal, and that carried burdens, and that laded them: with one of his hands he did the worke, & with the other he held a sword:

18   for euery one of the builders was girded with a sword about his reynes. And they builded, and sounded with the trumpet nere me.

19   And I sayd to the princes, and to the magistrates, & to the rest of the common people: The worke is great and broad, and we are seperated in the wal one far from an other:

20   in what place soeuer you shal heare the sound of the trumpet, thither runne together vnto vs: our God wil fight for vs.

21   And let vs our selues doe the worke: and let the halfe part of vs hold speares from the rysing of the morning, til the starres appeare.

22   At that time also I sayd to the people: Let euery man with his seruant tarry in the middes of Ierusalem, and let there be courses among vs by day and night to worke.

23   And I and my bretheren, and my seruants, and the watchmen, that were behinde me, did not put of our clothes: euery man was made bare only to washing.

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