Nehemiah · Catholic Public Domain Version
Nehemiah 4 Catholic Public Domain Version
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
Notes on this text (3)
- Esther and Daniel are the Vulgate books (Esther 1–16 with the Greek additions as chapters 10:4–16; Daniel 1–14 with the Song of the Three, Susanna and Bel). Baruch 6 is the Letter of Jeremiah.
- The translator's footnotes, cross-references, chapter summaries and book introductions in the CrossWire module are not shown.
- No imprimatur; single translator.
1 Now it happened that, when Sanballat had heard that we were building the wall, he was very angry. And having been moved exceedingly, he ridiculed the Jews.
1 Y FUÉ que como oyó Sanballat que nosotros edificábamos el muro, encolerizóse y enojóse en gran manera, é hizo escarnio de los Judíos.
2 And he said, before his brothers and a crowd of the Samaritans: “What are the foolish Jews doing? Can it be that the Gentiles will allow them? Will they sacrifice and finish in one day? Do they have the ability to make stones out of piles of dust that have been burned up?”
2 Y habló delante de sus hermanos y del ejército de Samaria, y dijo: ¿Qué hacen estos débiles Judíos? ¿hanles de permitir? ¿han de sacrificar? ¿han de acabar en un día? ¿han de resucitar de los montones del polvo las piedras que fueron quemadas?
3 Then too, Tobiah, an Ammonite, his assistant, said: “Let them build. When the fox climbs, he will leap over their stone wall.”
3 Y estaba junto á él Tobías Ammonita, el cual dijo: Aun lo que ellos edifican, si subiere una zorra derribará su muro de piedra.
4 Listen, O our God, for we have become an object of contempt. Turn their reproach upon their own head, and grant that they may be despised in a land of captivity.
4 Oye, oh Dios nuestro, que somos en menosprecio, y vuelve el baldón de ellos sobre su cabeza, y dalos en presa en la tierra de su cautiverio:
5 May you not conceal their iniquity, and may their sin not be wiped away, before your face, for they have ridiculed those who are building.
5 Y no cubras su iniquidad, ni su pecado sea raído delante de tu rostro; porque se airaron contra los que edificaban.
6 And so we built the wall, and we joined it together, even to the unfinished portion. And the heart of the people was stirred up for the work.
6 Edificamos pues el muro, y toda la muralla fué junta hasta su mitad: y el pueblo tuvo ánimo para obrar.
7 Now it happened that, when Sanballat, and Tobiah, and the Arabs, and the Ammonites, and the Ashdodites had heard that the walls of Jerusalem had been closed, and that the breaches had begun to be repaired, they were exceedingly angry.
7 Mas acaeció que oyendo Sanballat y Tobías, y los Arabes, y los Ammonitas, y los de Asdod, que los muros de Jerusalem eran reparados, porque ya los portillos comenzaban á cerrarse, encolerizáronse mucho;
8 And they all gathered together, so that they might go forth and fight against Jerusalem, and so that they might prepare ambushes.
8 Y conspiraron todos á una para venir á combatir á Jerusalem, y á hacerle daño.
9 And we prayed to our God, and we stationed guards upon the wall, day and night, against them.
9 Entonces oramos á nuestro Dios, y por causa de ellos pusimos guarda contra ellos de día y de noche.
10 Then Judah said: “The strength of those who carry has diminished, and the amount of material is very great, and so we will not be able to build the wall.”
10 Y dijo Judá: Las fuerzas de los acarreadores se han enflaquecido, y el escombro es mucho, y no podemos edificar el muro.
11 And our enemies said: “Let them neither know, nor realize, until we arrive in their midst, and kill them, and cause the work to cease.”
11 Y nuestros enemigos dijeron: No sepan, ni vean, hasta que entremos en medio de ellos, y los matemos, y hagamos cesar la obra.
12 Now it happened that, on ten occasions, some Jews arrived who were living near them, from all the places from which they came to us, and they told us this.
12 Sucedió empero, que como vinieron los Judíos que habitaban entre ellos, nos dieron aviso diez veces de todos los lugares de donde volvían á nosotros.
13 So I stationed the people in order, in places behind the wall, all around it, with their swords, and lances, and bows.
13 Entonces puse por los bajos del lugar, detrás del muro, en las alturas de los peñascos, puse el pueblo por familias con sus espadas, con sus lanzas, y con sus arcos.
14 And I gazed around, and I rose up. And I said to the nobles, and to the magistrates, and to the rest of the common people: “Do not be afraid before their face. Remember the great and terrible Lord, and fight on behalf of your brothers, your sons and your daughters, and your wives and your households.”
14 Después miré, y levantéme, y dije á los principales y á los magistrados, y al resto del pueblo: No temáis delante de ellos: acordaos del Señor grande y terrible, y pelead por vuestros hermanos, por vuestros hijos y por vuestras hijas, por vuestras mujeres y por vuestras casas.
15 Then it happened that, when our enemies had heard that it had been reported to us, God defeated their counsel. And we all returned to the walls, each one to his own work.
15 Y sucedió que como oyeron nuestros enemigos que lo habíamos entendido, Dios disipó el consejo de ellos, y volvímonos todos al muro, cada uno á su obra.
16 And it happened that, from that day, half of their young men were doing the work, and half were prepared for war with lances, and shields, and bows, and armor. And the leaders were behind them in all the house of Judah.
16 Mas fué que desde aquel día la mitad de los mancebos trabajaba en la obra, y la otra mitad de ellos tenía lanzas y escudos, y arcos, y corazas; y los príncipes estaban tras toda la casa de Judá.
17 As for those building the wall, and carrying the burdens, and setting things in place: one of his hands was doing the work, and the other was holding a sword.
17 Los que edificaban en el muro, y los que llevaban cargas y los que cargaban, con la una mano trabajaban en la obra, y en la otra tenían la espada.
18 For each one of the builders was girded with a sword at the waist. And they were building, and they were sounding a trumpet beside me.
18 Porque los que edificaban, cada uno tenía su espada ceñida á sus lomos, y así edificaban: y el que tocaba la trompeta estaba junto á mí.
19 And I said to the nobles, and to the magistrates, and to the rest of the common people: “The work is great and wide, and we are separated on the wall far from one another.
19 Y dije á los principales, y á los magistrados y al resto del pueblo: La obra es grande y larga, y nosotros estamos apartados en el muro, lejos los unos de los otros:
20 At whatever place you hear the sound of the trumpet, rush to that place for us. Our God will fight on our behalf.
20 En el lugar donde oyereis la voz de la trompeta, reuníos allí á nosotros: nuestro Dios peleará por nosotros.
21 And so let us accomplish the work. And let one half part of us hold spears, from the ascent of dawn until the stars come out.”
21 Nosotros pues trabajábamos en la obra; y la mitad de ellos tenían lanzas desde la subida del alba hasta salir las estrellas.
22 Also at that time, I said to the people: “Let each one with his servant remain in the midst of Jerusalem. And let us take turns, throughout the night and day, in doing the work.”
22 También dije entonces al pueblo: Cada uno con su criado se quede dentro de Jerusalem, y hágannos de noche centinela, y de día á la obra.
23 But I and my brothers, and my servants, and the guards who were behind me, we did not take off our clothes; each one only removed his clothes to wash.
23 Y ni yo, ni mis hermanos, ni mis mozos, ni la gente de guardia que me seguía, desnudamos nuestro vestido: cada uno se desnudaba [solamente] para lavarse.
People & places in this chapter
From this site's family tree and Bible maps, only where those guides cite this chapter.
People
Sanballat
Sanballat the Horonite, who mocked, plotted against, and tried to lure Nehemiah during the wall building; one of the high priest’s grandsons became his son-in-law.
Cited in the guide: Nehemiah 2:10; Nehemiah 2:19; Nehemiah 4:1
Tobiah
Ammonite official who jeered at the wall, sent intimidating letters, had ties of marriage and oath among Judah’s nobles, and was given a temple storeroom by Eliashib until…
Cited in the guide: Nehemiah 2:10; Nehemiah 4:3; Nehemiah 6:17
Cross references (22)
Related passages for each verse, from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge as collected and ranked by readers at OpenBible.info.
- 1 Nehemiah 2:10; Hebrews 11:36; Psalm 35:15–16; Acts 5:17; Nehemiah 2:19
- 2 1 Corinthians 1:27; Ezra 4:9–10; Nehemiah 4:10; Zechariah 12:8; 1 Samuel 17:43–44
- 3 Nehemiah 2:19; Nehemiah 2:10; 1 Kings 20:10; 1 Kings 20:18; 2 Kings 18:23
- 4 Psalm 79:12; Psalm 123:3–4; Proverbs 3:34; Hosea 12:14; 1 Samuel 17:26
- 5 Psalm 109:14; Jeremiah 18:23; Psalm 69:27–28; Isaiah 44:22; 2 Timothy 4:14
- 6 Philippians 2:13; 1 Chronicles 29:3; Hebrews 13:21; Nehemiah 6:15; 1 Chronicles 29:17–18
- 7 Nehemiah 4:1; Nehemiah 2:10; Jeremiah 25:20; Amos 1:13; Revelation 12:17
- 8 Psalm 83:3–11; Jeremiah 20:10; Isaiah 8:9–10; Acts 23:12–13; Psalm 2:1–3
- 9 1 Peter 5:8; Psalm 50:15; Acts 4:24–30; Matthew 26:41; Luke 6:11–12
- 10 Haggai 1:2; Numbers 32:9; 2 Chronicles 2:18; Numbers 13:31; Psalm 11:1–2
- 11 1 Thessalonians 5:2; Psalm 56:6; Judges 20:29–48; Acts 23:21; Acts 23:12
- 12 Numbers 14:22; Genesis 31:41; Genesis 31:7; Job 19:3
- 13 Nehemiah 4:17–18; Ephesians 6:11–20; Genesis 32:13–20; 2 Chronicles 32:2–8; Matthew 10:16
- 14 2 Samuel 10:12; Numbers 14:9; Isaiah 41:10–14; Hebrews 13:6; Psalm 66:3
- 15 2 Samuel 17:14; Romans 12:11; Psalm 33:10–11; Isaiah 44:25; Job 5:12–13
- 16 Nehemiah 4:23; Nehemiah 5:15–16; Psalm 101:6
- 17 2 Timothy 2:3; 2 Timothy 4:7; 2 Corinthians 6:7; Ephesians 6:11–20; 1 Corinthians 16:9
- 18 Numbers 10:9; 2 Chronicles 13:12–17
- 20 Exodus 14:14; Deuteronomy 20:4; Deuteronomy 1:30; Joshua 23:10; Deuteronomy 3:22
- 21 Galatians 6:9; Colossians 1:29
- 22 Nehemiah 11:1–2
- 23 Nehemiah 5:16; Nehemiah 7:2; 1 Corinthians 15:10; Judges 5:11; Judges 9:48
Cross references: OpenBible.info (CC BY), drawn mainly from the public-domain Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. · Sources & licences