Once Sanballat and his posse were put in their places, we really got to work. Everybody, and I mean everybody, pitched in to get the wall rebuilt, even the priests and merchants had jobs to do.
Things were going fine until we got the wall rebuilt about halfway up. That's when Sanballat and his crew showed back up and decided to ramp up their game.
Things were going fine until we got the wall rebuilt about halfway up. That's when Sanballat and his crew showed back up and decided to ramp up their game.
Just talking stuff wasn't enough for them anymore. Now they weren't just talking stuff, now it was threats and violence.
7 But Sanballat, Tobiah, the Arabs, the Ammonites, and the people from the city of Ashdod saw the walls going up and the holes being repaired. So they became angry 8 and decided to stir up trouble, and to fight against the people of Jerusalem.
Nehemiah 4: 7-8 CEV
Thank God for the Jews who lived in the surrounding areas. One after another they let us know the word on the street about what Sanballat and his pals were planning. We were on our guard 24/7, and that meant no rebuilding.
Our enemies found out that we knew about their plot against us, but God kept them from doing what they had planned. So we went back to work on the wall.
Nehemiah 4: 15 CEV
Have you heard the expression about the "one-armed paper hanger"? That's kinda what we had going on. Half the men guarded while the other half worked on the wall. Well, sorta worked.
We never knew if or when Sanballat and his cronies might attack. Even the ones working on the wall kept one hand free for their swords.
With only about a fourth of the work getting done, rebuilding slowed to a snail's pace. For the time being, we were both soldiers and stone masons, even sleeping in our clothes, cuddled up to our weapons.
The threat of violence from the outside, and discouragement on the inside threatened to defeat us. Over and over I did my best to exhort these children of the Most High God.
We never knew if or when Sanballat and his cronies might attack. Even the ones working on the wall kept one hand free for their swords.
With only about a fourth of the work getting done, rebuilding slowed to a snail's pace. For the time being, we were both soldiers and stone masons, even sleeping in our clothes, cuddled up to our weapons.
The threat of violence from the outside, and discouragement on the inside threatened to defeat us. Over and over I did my best to exhort these children of the Most High God.
Then as I looked over the situation, I called together the leaders and the people and said to them, “Don’t be afraid! Remember the Lord who is great and glorious; fight for your friends, your families, and your homes...God will fight for us.”
Nehemiah 4: 14, 19b TLB
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