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<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8" /><meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width; initial-scale=1.0; maximum-scale=1.0; user-scalable=0;"/><title>Nehemiah 4 ISV</title><link rel="stylesheet" href="/chapnew2.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="../spec.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="/print.css" type="text/css" media="Print" /></head><body><div id="fx"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" id="fx2"><tr><td><iframe width="100%" height="30" scrolling="no" src="../cmenus/nehemiah/4.htm" align="left" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div><div id="blnk"></div><div align="center"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" class="maintable"><tr><td><div id="fx5"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" id="fx6"><tr><td><iframe width="100%" height="245" scrolling="no" src="../topmenuchap/nehemiah/4-1.htm" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></td></tr></table></div><div align="center"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" class="maintable3"><tr><td><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center" id="announce"><tr><td><div id="l1"><div id="breadcrumbs"><a href="http://biblehub.com">Bible</a> > <a href="../">ISV</a> > Nehemiah 4</div><div id="anc"><iframe src="/anc.htm" width="100%" height="27" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></div><div id="anc2"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><iframe src="/anc2.htm" width="100%" height="27" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></div></td></tr></table><div id="movebox2"><table border="0" align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tr><td><div id="topheading"><a href="../nehemiah/3.htm" title="Nehemiah 3">◄</a> Nehemiah 4 <a href="../nehemiah/5.htm" title="Nehemiah 5">►</a></div></td></tr></table></div><div align="center" class="maintable2"><table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><div id="leftbox"><div class="padleft"><div class="vheading"><table width="100%"><tr><td width="99%" valign="top">International Standard Version</td><td width="1%" valign="top"><a href="/p/isv/esv/nehemiah/4.shtml" style="color:#001320" title="Parallel Chapters"> Par ▾ </a></tr></table></div><div class="chap"><p class="heading">Sanballat Opposes the Reconstruction</p><p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/nehemiah/4-1.htm"><b>1</b></a></span><span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="4:1 This v. is 3:33 in MT, and so through v. 6.">a</a></span> When Sanballat heard that we were reconstructing the wall, he flew into a rage, became indignant, and mocked the Jews. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/nehemiah/4-2.htm"><b>2</b></a></span>He addressed his allies and the Samaritan officials,<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="4:2 Or army">b</a></span> saying “What are these pathetic Jews doing? Are they intending to rebuild it by themselves? Do they intend to offer sacrifices? Will they finish in a single day? Can they make stones from this burned out rubble?”</p> <p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/nehemiah/4-3.htm"><b>3</b></a></span>Tobiah the Ammonite stood to the side, commenting, “If a fox were to jump onto what they’re building, it would collapse their stone wall!”</p> <p class="heading">Nehemiah’s Prayer</p><p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/nehemiah/4-4.htm"><b>4</b></a></span>“Listen, our God, because we are being mocked. Let their insults fall back on them,<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="4:4 Lit. on their heads">c</a></span> and let them be dragged away as captives into exile. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/nehemiah/4-5.htm"><b>5</b></a></span>Don’t atone their iniquity, and don’t let their sin be blotted out from before you, because they have demoralized the builders.”</p> <p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/nehemiah/4-6.htm"><b>6</b></a></span>So we rebuilt the wall, completing it halfway up, because the people were committed to working.</p> <p class="heading">Sanballat Reacts to the Progress</p><p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/nehemiah/4-7.htm"><b>7</b></a></span><span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="4:7 This v. is 4:1 in MT, and so through v. 23.">d</a></span> But when Sanballat, Tobiah, the Arabs, the Ammonites, and the Ashdodites heard that the repair work on the Jerusalem wall was progressing and that its breaches were being repaired, they flew into a rage. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/nehemiah/4-8.htm"><b>8</b></a></span>So they all conspired together to invade and fight against Jerusalem, creating confusion there.</p> <p class="heading">Nehemiah Reacts to Sanballat</p><p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/nehemiah/4-9.htm"><b>9</b></a></span>But we prayed to our God. We also set up guards day and night because of them.</p> <p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/nehemiah/4-10.htm"><b>10</b></a></span>Meanwhile, the people of<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="4:10 The Heb. lacks the people of">e</a></span> Judah said, “The builders are tired and there’s so much rubble that we can’t reconstruct the wall!”</p> <p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/nehemiah/4-11.htm"><b>11</b></a></span>Our enemies said, “Before they notice or see us, we’ll penetrate their midst, kill them, and stop the work!”</p> <p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/nehemiah/4-12.htm"><b>12</b></a></span>The Jews who lived near them kept coming to us, reporting at least<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="4:12 The Heb. lacks at least">f</a></span> ten times, “They’ll attack us from every direction.” <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/nehemiah/4-13.htm"><b>13</b></a></span>So I stationed the people by families behind the wall in the lower exposed areas, equipping them with their swords, spears, and bows.</p> <p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/nehemiah/4-14.htm"><b>14</b></a></span>Looking things over, I stood up and spoke to the officials, the military leaders, and the rest of the people: “Don’t fear them. Remember the great and awe-inspiring Lord. Fight for your brothers, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your homes.”</p> <p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/nehemiah/4-15.htm"><b>15</b></a></span>Our opponents heard that we had learned about them, that God had brought their plans to failure, and that each and every one of us had come to work on the wall. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/nehemiah/4-16.htm"><b>16</b></a></span>From that day on, half of my helpers engaged in the work while the other half kept spears, shields, bows, and armor ready. The senior officials backed all of the Judeans <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/nehemiah/4-17.htm"><b>17</b></a></span>who worked on the wall. Those who carried building materials worked with one hand, carrying a spear in the other. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/nehemiah/4-18.htm"><b>18</b></a></span>Each builder worked with a sword strapped to his side, while a trumpeter remained beside me to sound an alarm.<span class="fn"><a href="#ftn" title="4:18 The Heb. lacks to sound an alarm">g</a></span> </p> <p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/nehemiah/4-19.htm"><b>19</b></a></span>I told the officials, rulers, and the rest of the people, “The project is large and extensive, and we are separated from each other on the wall, <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/nehemiah/4-20.htm"><b>20</b></a></span>so wherever you hear the sound of the trumpet, come over to us, and our God will fight for us!” <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/nehemiah/4-21.htm"><b>21</b></a></span>So we worked hard, half of us holding spears from dawn to dusk.</p> <p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/nehemiah/4-22.htm"><b>22</b></a></span>At the same time I told the people, “Let’s have everyone sleep at night inside Jerusalem with their servants, so they can guard us at night and work during the day. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/nehemiah/4-23.htm"><b>23</b></a></span>No one—neither I, my allies, my servants, nor the bodyguards who accompanied me—changed clothes. Everyone carried a weapon even while going for water.</p><hr size="1" color="DDEEFF"><span class="mainfootnotes"><A name="ftn"></a><span class="mainfootnoteshdg">Footnotes:</span><br><span class="fn1"><span class="fnb">a</span> 4:1 This v. is 3:33 in MT, and so through v. 6.<br /><span class="fnb">b</span> 4:2 Or <i>army</i><br /><span class="fnb">c</span> 4:4 Lit. <i>on their heads</i><br /><span class="fnb">d</span> 4:7 This v. is 4:1 in MT, and so through v. 23.<br /><span class="fnb">e</span> 4:10 The Heb. lacks <i>the people of</i><br /><span class="fnb">f</span> 4:12 The Heb. lacks <i>at least</i><br /><span class="fnb">g</span> 4:18 The Heb. lacks <i>to sound an alarm</i><br /></span><br><br><hr size="1" color="DDEEFF"><div align="center"><div id="botbox"><div class="padbot"><div align="center">The Holy Bible: International Standard Version® Release 2.1<br />Copyright © 1996-2012 The ISV Foundation<br />ALL RIGHTS RESERVED INTERNATIONALLY.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="/">Bible Hub</a></div></div></div></div></td></tr></table></div><div id="left"><a href="../nehemiah/3.htm" onmouseover='lft.src="/leftgif.png"' onmouseout='lft.src="/left.png"' title="Nehemiah 3"><img src="/left.png" name="lft" border="0" alt="Nehemiah 3" /></a></div><div id="right"><a href="../nehemiah/5.htm" onmouseover='rght.src="/rightgif.png"' onmouseout='rght.src="/right.png"' title="Nehemiah 5"><img src="/right.png" name="rght" border="0" alt="Nehemiah 5" /></a></div><div id="botleft"><a href="#" onmouseover='botleft.src="/botleftgif.png"' onmouseout='botleft.src="/botleft.png"' title="Top of Page"><img src="/botleft.png" name="botleft" border="0" alt="Top of Page" /></a></div><div id="botright"><a href="#" onmouseover='botright.src="/botrightgif.png"' onmouseout='botright.src="/botright.png"' title="Top of Page"><img src="/botright.png" name="botright" border="0" alt="Top of Page" /></a></div></td></tr></table></div><div id="rightbox"><div class="padright"><div id="pic"><iframe width="100%" height="860" scrolling="no" src="//biblescan.com/mpc/nehemiah/4-1.htm" frameborder="0"></iframe></div></div></div><div id="rightbox4"><div class="padright2"><div id="spons1"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"><tr><td class="sp1"><iframe width="122" height="860" scrolling="no" src="../sidemenu.htm" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></div></div><div id="bot"><div align="center" style="background-color:#F2FAFF"><br /><br /><div class="bot2"><table align="center" width="100%"><tr><td><script async src="//pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js"></script>  <ins class="adsbygoogle" style="display:block" data-ad-client="ca-pub-3753401421161123" data-ad-slot="6710025936" data-ad-format="auto"></ins> <script> (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); </script></td></tr></table><br /><br /><table align="center" width="100%"><tr><td><script async src="//pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js"></script>  <ins class="adsbygoogle" style="display:block" data-ad-client="ca-pub-3753401421161123" data-ad-slot="6710025936" data-ad-format="auto"></ins> <script> (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); </script></td></tr></table></div><br /><br /> </div><iframe width="100%" height="1500" scrolling="no" src="//biblehu.com/botmenubhnm2.htm" frameborder="0"></iframe><div align="center"><span class="p"><br /><br /><br /></span></div></div></td></tr></table></div></body></html>