So we laboured in the work: and half of them held the spears from the rising of the morning till the stars appeared.
The labor described was steady work from the rising of the morning at dawn until night when the stars appeared and nightfall came. While that work went on, half of the people held spears to guard the laborers, remaining armed even as the others built. The builders themselves were spread out along the wall in organized companies engaged in rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem.
Priests were stationed with trumpets to give the signal of danger so the people could quickly gather at the threatened place where help was needed. That armed guarding arrangement kept the rebuilding going forward even under threat of attack. Through the day the work advanced with cheerful activity and harmony among the workers.
The labor described was steady work from the rising of the morning at dawn until night when the stars appeared and nightfall came. While that work went on, half of the people held spears to guard the laborers, remaining armed even as the others built. The builders themselves were spread out along the wall in organized companies engaged in rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem.
Priests were stationed with trumpets to give the signal of danger so the people could quickly gather at the threatened place where help was needed. That armed guarding arrangement kept the rebuilding going forward even under threat of attack. Through the day the work advanced with cheerful activity and harmony among the workers.