7. But Sanballat, Tobiah, the Arabs, the Ammonites, and the people from the city of Ashdod saw the walls going up and the holes being repaired. So they became angry
8. and decided to stir up trouble, and to fight against the people of Jerusalem.
9. But we kept on praying to our God, and we also stationed guards day and night.
10. Meanwhile, the people of Judah were singing a sorrowful song:“So much rubble for us to haul!Worn out and weary,will we ever finish this wall?”
11. Our enemies were saying, “Before those Jews know what has happened, we will sneak up and kill them and put an end to their work.”
12. On at least ten different occasions, the Jews living near our enemies warned us against attacks from every side,
13. and so I sent people to guard the wall at its lowest places and where there were still holes in it. I placed them according to families, and they stood guard with swords and spears and with bows and arrows.