[Sidenote:  Neh. 4:15-23] And when our enemies heard that their plan was known to us and God had brought it to nought, we all of us returned to the wall, each to his own work.  And from that time on, while half of my servants were engaged in the work, half of them held the lances, the shields, the bows, and the coats of mail; and the rulers stood behind all the house of Judah.  Those who built the wall and those who bore burdens were also armed, each with one of his hands engaged in the work, and with the other was ready to grasp his spear; and each of the builders had his sword girded by his side, and so builded.  And he who sounded the trumpet was by me.  And I said to the nobles and to the rulers and to the rest of the people, ’The work is great and extensive, and we are separated upon the wall far from each other.  In whatever place you hear the sound of the trumpet, gather there to us; our God will fight for us.’  So we were active in the work, while half of them held the lances from the gray of morning until the stars came out.  Also I said at that time to the people, Let each man with his servant lodge in Jerusalem, that they may be a guard to us by night and may labor by day.  So neither I, nor my kinsmen, nor my servants, nor the men of the guard who accompanied me, not one of us took off our clothes, each had his spear in his hand.

[Sidenote:  Neh. 6:1-9] Now when it was reported to Sanballat and to Tobiah and to Geshem the Arabian and to the rest of our enemies, that I had rebuilt the wall and that there was no breach was left in it—­though even to that time I had not set up the doors in the gates—­Sanballat and Geshem sent to me, saying, ’Come, let us meet together in one of the villages on the plain of Ono.’  But they planned to do me injury.  So I sent messengers to them, saying, ’I am doing a great work, so that I cannot come down; why should the work cease, while I leave it and come down to you?’ And they sent to me in this way four times, and I gave them the same answer.  Then Sanballat sent his servant to me in the same way the fifth time with an open letter in his hand, in which was written, ’It is reported among the nations, and Gashmu confirms it, that you and the Jews plan to rebel, and that this is the reason you are building the wall, and that you would be their king, and that you also have appointed prophets to preach of you at Jerusalem, saying, “There is a king in Judah.”  And now it will be reported to the king to this effect.  Come now, therefore, and let us take counsel together.’  Then I sent to him, saying, ’No such things have been done as you say, but you have devised them in your own mind.’  For they all would have made us afraid, thinking, ’Their hands shall be weakened from the work, that it may not be done.’  But now, O God, strengthen thou my hands.