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Nehemiah 4

7 The buylding of Ieruſalém is hindred, 15 But God breaketh their enterpriſe. 17 The Iewes buylde with one hand, and holde their weapons in the other.
1.BVt when Sanballát heard that we buylded the wall, then was he wroth and ſore grieued, and mocked the Iewes,
2.And ſaid before his brethren and the armie of Samaria, thus he ſaid, What do theſe weake Iewes wil they fortifie thẽ ſelues? wil thei ſacrifice? wil thei finiſh it in a day? wil they make the ſtones whole againe out of ye heapes of duſt, ſeing they are burnt?
3.And Tobiáh the Ammonite was beſide him, and ſaid, Althogh they buylde, yet if a foxe go vp, he ſhal euen breake downe their ſtony wall.
4.Heare, ô our God (for we are deſpiſed) and turne their ſhame vpon their owne head, and giue them vnto a pray in the land of their captiuitie,
5.And couer not their iniquitie, nether let their ſinne be put out in thy preſence: for thei haue prouoked vs before the buylders.
6.So we buylt the wall, and all the wall was ioyned vnto the halfe thereof, and the heart of the people was to worke.
7.¶ But when Sanballát, and Tobiáh, & the Arabians, and the Ammonites, & the Aſhdodims heard that the walles of Ieruſalém were repared, (for the breaches begã to be ſtopped) then thei were verie wroth,
8.And conſpired altogether to come and to fight againſt Ieruſalém, & to hinder thẽ.
9.Then we prayed vnto our God, and ſet watchemen by them, day & night, becauſe of them.
10.And Iudáh ſaid, The ſtrength of ye bearers is weakened, and there is muche earth, ſo that we are not able to buylde the wall.
11.Alſo our aduerſaries had ſaid, Thei ſhal not knowe, nether ſe, til we come into the middes of them and ſlaye them, and cauſe the worke to ceaſe.
12.But when the Iewes (which dwelt beſide them) came, they tolde vs ten times, Frõ all places whence ye ſhal returne, they wil be vpon vs.
13.Therefore ſet I in the lower places behinde the wall vpon ye toppes of the ſtones, & placed ye people by their families, with their ſwordes, their ſpeares & their bowes,
14.Then I beheld, and roſe vp, & ſaid vnto the princes, & to the rulers, & to the reſt of the people, Be not afraied of them: remẽber the great Lord, & feareful, & fight for your brethren, your ſonnes, and your daughters, your wiues, and your houſes.
15.And when our enemies heard that it was knowen vnto vs, then God broght their counſel to noght, & we turned all againe to the wall, euerie one vnto his worke.
16.And frõ that day, halfe of the yong men did the labour, and the other halfe parte of them helde the ſpeares, and ſhields, & bowes, and habergins: and the rulers ſtode behinde all the houſe of Iudáh.
17.They that buylded on the wall, and they that bare burdens, & they that laded, did the worke with one hand, & with the other helde the ſworde.
18.For euerie one of the buylders had his ſworde girde on his loynes, & ſo buylded: & he that blewe the trũpet, was beſide me.
19.Then ſaid I vnto the princes, and to the rulers, and to the reſt of the people, The worke is great and large, and we are ſeparated vpon the wall, one farre from another.
20.In what place therefore ye heare the ſoũd of the trumpet, reſorte ye thither vnto vs: our God ſhal fight for vs.
21.So we laboured in the worke, and halfe of them helde the ſpeares, from the appearing of the morning, til the ſtarres came forthe.
22.And at the ſame time ſaid I vnto the people, Let euerie one with his ſeruant lodge within Ieruſalém, that they may be a watche for vs in the night, and labour in the day.
23.So nether I, nor my brethren, nor my ſeruants, nor the mẽ of the warde, (which followed me) none of vs did put of our clothes, ſaue euerie one put them of for waſhing.

Notes

2:a.
Of his companions that dwelt in Samaria
2:b.
Thus the wicked, that conſider not yt Gods power is euer in a readines for the defẽce of his, mocke thẽ as thogh thei were weake and feble
4:c.
This is the remedie that the childrẽ of God haue againſt the deriſiõ & threatnings of their enemies, to flee to God by prayer.
4:d.
Let them be ſpoiled & led away captiue.
5:e.
Let thy plagues declare to the worlde yt thei ſet them ſelues againſt thee, & agaiſt thy Church thus he prayeth, onely hauing reſpect to Gods glorie, & not for any priuate affection, or grudge.
6:".
Or, halfe height
8:".
Ebr. make a ſtay, meaning the people.
12:f.
That is, oftentimes
12:g.
Thei, which broght the tidings, ſaid thus, Whẽ you leaue your worke, & go ether to eat, or to reſt, your enemies wil aſſaile you.
14:h.
Who is euer at hand to deliuer his out of danger, and therefore ſeing thei ſhulde fight for the maintenãce of Gods glorie & for the preſeruation of their owne liues & of theirs, he incourageth them to play the valiãt mẽ.
16:i.
To ouerſee them & to incourage them to their worke.
20:k.
Meaning, to reſiſt their enemies, if nede required.
23:l.
That is, whẽ they waſhed them ſelues, or els when they waſhed their clothes.