Nehemiah 4 :: Amplified Bible (AMP)

[And Nehemiah prayed] Hear, O our God, how we are despised! Return their taunts on their own heads. Give them up as prey in a land of captivity.

So we built the wall and the entire wall was joined together to half its height, for the people had a heart to work.

[fn]But 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 were being closed, they were very angry.

Then [the leaders of] Judah said,

“The strength of the burden bearers is failing,

And there is much rubble;

We ourselves are unable

To rebuild the wall.”

Our enemies said, “They will not know or see us until we are among them, kill them and put a stop to the work.”

Now when our enemies heard that we knew about their plot against us, and that God had frustrated their plan, we all returned to the wall, each one to his work.

So we carried on with the work with half of them holding spears from dawn until the stars came out.