^{17 Ref} 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;

^{18 Ref} Every builder was working with his sword at his side. And by my side was a man for sounding the horn.

¹⁹ 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:

^{20 Ref} Wherever you may be when the horn is sounded, come here to us; our God will be fighting for us.

^{21 Ref} 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.

^{22 Ref} 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.

^{23 Ref} 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.