1 Now, Sanballat, hearing that we were building the wall, was very angry, and in his wrath made sport of the Jews.2 And in the hearing of his countrymen and the army of Samaria he said: »What are these feeble Jews doing? Will they make themselves strong? Will they make offerings? Will they get the work done in a day? Will they make the stones that have been burned come again out of the dust?«3 Now Tobiah the Ammonite was with him, and he said: Such is their building that if a fox climbs to the top of it, their stonewall will be broken down.4 Give ear, O our God, for we are ridiculed. Let their words of shame be turned back upon them, and let them be given up to plunder in a land where they are prisoners.5 Do not let their wrongdoing be covered or their sin be washed away from before you: for they have made you angry before the builders.6 So we went on building the wall. The entire wall was joined together halfway up. The people were working hard.