Nehemiah 4 Free Bible Version
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
1 When Sanballat found out that we were rebuilding the wall, he was furious—really mad! He made fun of 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 in front of his colleagues and the army of Samaria, saying, “What are these useless Jews trying to achieve? Do they think they can rebuild the wall? Are they going to offer sacrifices? Are they going to finish it in a day? Do they think they can re-use stones from piles of rubble and dirt, especially since they've all been burned?”
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 Tobiah the Ammonite, standing beside him, commented, “Even a fox walking on what they're building would knock down their wall of stones!”
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 I prayed, “Lord, please listen to us, because we are being treated with contempt. Rain down their insults on their own heads! Let them be taken away like plunder, prisoners in a foreign land!
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 Don't forgive their guilt or blot out their sins, for they have made you angry in front of the builders.”
5 Y no cubras su iniquidad, ni su pecado sea raído delante de tu rostro; porque se airaron contra los que edificaban.
6 So we rebuilt the wall until it was all connected, reaching half its height, because the people were keen to work.
6 Edificamos pues el muro, y toda la muralla fué junta hasta su mitad: y el pueblo tuvo ánimo para obrar.
7 When Sanballat and Tobiah, and the Arabs, Ammonites, and Ashdodites, heard that the repair to the walls of Jerusalem was progressing and that the gaps were being filled in, they were furious.
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 They all plotted together to come and attack Jerusalem and to throw everything into confusion.
8 Y conspiraron todos á una para venir á combatir á Jerusalem, y á hacerle daño.
9 So we prayed to our God, and we had guards ready to defend against them day and night.
9 Entonces oramos á nuestro Dios, y por causa de ellos pusimos guarda contra ellos de día y de noche.
10 Then people of Judah started grumbling, saying, “The workmen are exhausted. There's just too much rubble to clear. We'll never be able to finish 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 Our enemies were saying to themselves, “Before they know it, before they're aware of anything, we'll appear right in among them, kill them, and put a stop to what they're doing.”
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 The Jews who lived close by came and told us over and over again, “They're going to attack us from all directions!”
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 positioned defenders behind the lowest, most vulnerable sections, of the wall. I had them take their positions by families, armed with their swords, spears, 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 After inspecting our defenses, I stood up and addressed the nobles, the officials, and the rest of the people, saying, “Don't be afraid of them! Remember the Lord, who is powerful and formidable! Fight for your brothers, your sons and your daughters, your wives and your homes!”
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 When our enemies discovered that we knew about their plan, and that God had foiled it, we all went back to our work on the wall.
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 From then on, half of my men were doing the work while the other half were ready to fight, holding their spears, shields, bows, and armor. The leaders stood behind all the people 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 who were building the wall. Those carrying materials worked with one hand, holding a weapon in the other.
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 All the builders carried a sword strapped to their side, and the trumpeter stood 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 Then I told the nobles, the officials, and the rest of the people: “We have a lot to do everywhere, so we're very spread out along the wall.
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 Wherever you are and you hear the sound of the trumpet, run to join us there. Our God will fight for us!”
20 En el lugar donde oyereis la voz de la trompeta, reuníos allí á nosotros: nuestro Dios peleará por nosotros.
21 We went on working, with half of the men holding spears from dawn until the stars came 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 I also told the people, “Everyone including servants must spend the night inside Jerusalem, so they can be on guard duty at night and work during the day.”
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 During that time none of us changed our clothes—not me or my brothers or my men or the guards with me. Everyone carried their weapons at all times, even to go for water.
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