Nehemiah 4:7-15

⁷Now when Sanballat, Tobiah, the Arabs, the Ammonites, and the Ashdodites heard that the repair of the walls of Jerusalem went on, and that the breaches began to be closed, they were very angry. ⁸So all of them conspired together to come to fight against Jerusalem and to cause confusion in it.

⁹But we prayed to our God, and because of them we set up a guard against them day and night.

¹⁰And so in Judah it was said:

“The strength of the burden bearers is failing,

Yet there is much rubble;

And we ourselves are unable

To rebuild the wall.”

¹¹And our enemies said, “They will not know or see until we come among them, kill them, and put a stop to the work.” ¹²When the Jews who lived near them came and told us ten times, “They will come up against us from every place where you may turn,” ¹³then I stationed men in the lowest parts of the space behind the wall, the exposed places, and I stationed the people in families with their swords, spears, and bows. ¹⁴When I saw their fear, I stood and said to the nobles, the officials, and the rest of the people: “Do not be afraid of them; remember the Lord who is great and awesome, and fight for your brothers, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your houses.”

¹⁵Now when our enemies heard that it was known to us, and that God had frustrated their plan, then all of us returned to the wall, each one to his work.