Immerse: Chronicles Full Volume - Flipbook - Page 135
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CHRONICLES–EZRA–NEHEMIAH
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blot out their sins, for they have provoked you to anger here in front of
the builders.”
At last the wall was completed to half its height around the entire city,
for the people had worked with enthusiasm.
But when Sanballat and Tobiah and the Arabs, Ammonites, and Ash
dodites heard that the work was going ahead and that the gaps in the wall
of Jerusalem were being repaired, they were furious. They all made plans
to come and fight against Jerusalem and throw us into confusion. But we
prayed to our God and guarded the city day and night to protect ourselves.
Then the people of Judah began to complain, “The workers are getting
tired, and there is so much rubble to be moved. We will never be able to
build the wall by ourselves.”
Meanwhile, our enemies were saying, “Before they know what’s happening, we will swoop down on them and kill them and end their work.”
The Jews who lived near the enemy came and told us again and again,
“They will come from all directions and attack us!” So I placed armed
guards behind the lowest parts of the wall in the exposed areas. I stationed
the people to stand guard by families, armed with swords, spears, and
bows.
Then as I looked over the situation, I called together the nobles and the
rest of the people and said to them, “Don’t be afraid of the enemy! Remember the Lord, who is great and glorious, and fight for your brothers,
your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your homes!”
When our enemies heard that we knew of their plans and that God had
frustrated them, we all returned to our work on the wall. But from then
on, only half my men worked while the other half stood guard with spears,
shields, bows, and coats of mail. The leaders stationed themselves behind
the people of Judah who were building the wall. The laborers carried on
their work with one hand supporting their load and one hand holding a
weapon. All the builders had a sword belted to their side. The trumpeter
stayed with me to sound the alarm.
Then I explained to the nobles and officials and all the people, “The
work is very spread out, and we are widely separated from each other along
the wall. When you hear the blast of the trumpet, rush to wherever it is
sounding. Then our God will fight for us!”
We worked early and late, from sunrise to sunset. And half the men were
always on guard. I also told everyone living outside the walls to stay in Je
rusalem. That way they and their servants could help with guard duty at
night and work during the day. During this time, none of u s—not I, nor
my relatives, nor my servants, nor the guards who were with m
e—ever
took off our clothes. We carried our weapons with us at all times, even
when we went for water.
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