Nehemiah 4:13-23

Nehemiah 4:13-23

[13] Therefore set  I in the lower  places  behind  the wall,  I even set  the people  after their families  with their swords,  their spears,  and their bows.  [14] And I looked,  and rose up,  and said  unto the nobles,  and to the rulers,  and to the rest  of the people,  Be not ye afraid  of them:  remember  the Lord,  which is great  and terrible,  and fight  for your brethren,  your sons,  and your daughters,  your wives,  and your houses.  [15] And it came to pass, when our enemies  heard  that it was known  unto us, and God  their counsel  to nought,  that we returned  all of us to the wall,  every one  unto his work.  [16] And it came to pass from that time  forth, that the half  of my servants  wrought  in the work,  and the other half  of them held  both the spears,  the shields,  and the bows,  and the habergeons;  and the rulers  were behind  all the house  of Judah.  [17] They which builded  on the wall,  and they that bare  burdens,  with those that laded,  every one with one  of his hands  wrought  in the work,  and with the other  hand held  a weapon.  [18] For the builders,  every one  had his sword  girded  by his side,  and so builded.  And he that sounded  the trumpet  was by me.  [19] And I said  unto the nobles,  and to the rulers,  and to the rest  of the people,  The work  is great  and large,  and we are separated  upon the wall,  one  far from  another.  [20] In what place  therefore ye hear  the sound  of the trumpet,  resort  ye thither unto us: our God  shall fight  for us. [21] So we laboured  in the work:  and half  of them held  the spears  from the rising  of the morning  till the stars  appeared.  [22] Likewise at the same time  said  I unto the people,  Let every one  with his servant  lodge  within  Jerusalem,  that in the night  they may be a guard  to us, and labour  on the day.  [23] So neither I, nor my brethren,  nor my servants,  nor the men  of the guard  which followed  me, none of us  put off  our clothes,  saving that every one  put them off  for washing.