Bible in Basic English
And when it came to the ears of those who were against us, that we had knowledge of their designs and that God had made their purpose come to nothing, we all went back to the wall, everyone to his work
And from that time, half of my servants were doing their part of the work, and half kept the spears and body-covers and the bows and the metal war-dresses; and the chiefs were at the back of the men of Judah.
Those who were building the wall and those who were moving material did their part, everyone working with one hand, with his spear in the other;
Every builder was working with his sword at his side. And by my side was a man for sounding the horn.
And I said to the great ones and the chiefs and the rest of the people, The work is great and widely spaced and we are far away from one another on the wall:
Wherever you may be when the horn is sounded, come here to us; our God will be fighting for us.
So we went on with the work: and half of them had spears in their hands from the dawn of the morning till the stars were seen.
And at the same time I said to the people, Let everyone with his servant come inside Jerusalem for the night, so that at night they may keep watch for us, and go on working by day.
So not one of us, I or my brothers or my servants or the watchmen who were with me, took off his clothing, everyone went armed to the water.
— Nehemiah 4:15-1964, Bible in Basic English
And it came about that when the Jews who were living near them came, they said to us ten times, From all directions they are coming against us.
So in the lowest part of the space at the back of the walls, in the open places, I put the people by families, with their swords, their spears, and their bows.
And after looking, I got up and said to the great ones and to the chiefs and to the rest of the people, Have no fear of them: keep in mind the Lord who is great and greatly to be feared, and take up arms for your brothers, your sons, and your daughters, your wives and your houses.
And when it came to the ears of those who were against us, that we had knowledge of their designs and that God had made their purpose come to nothing, we all went back to the wall, everyone to his work
And from that time, half of my servants were doing their part of the work, and half kept the spears and body-covers and the bows and the metal war-dresses; and the chiefs were at the back of the men of Judah.
Those who were building the wall and those who were moving material did their part, everyone working with one hand, with his spear in the other;
Every builder was working with his sword at his side. And by my side was a man for sounding the horn.
And I said to the great ones and the chiefs and the rest of the people, The work is great and widely spaced and we are far away from one another on the wall:
Wherever you may be when the horn is sounded, come here to us; our God will be fighting for us.
So we went on with the work: and half of them had spears in their hands from the dawn of the morning till the stars were seen.
And at the same time I said to the people, Let everyone with his servant come inside Jerusalem for the night, so that at night they may keep watch for us, and go on working by day.
So not one of us, I or my brothers or my servants or the watchmen who were with me, took off his clothing, everyone went armed to the water.