He stationed the men with drawn swords all around the front of the Temple, to protect the king.

The king strengthened the city's defenses by repairing the wall, building towers on it, and building an outer wall. In addition, he repaired the defenses built on the land that was filled in on the east side of the old part of Jerusalem. He also had a large number of spears and shields made.

who were rebuilding the wall. Even those who carried building materials worked with one hand and kept a weapon in the other,

I didn't take off my clothes even at night, neither did any of my companions nor my servants nor my bodyguards. And we all kept our weapons at hand.

He will not let them be destroyed; he saves them from death itself.

But if not, they will die in ignorance and cross the stream into the world of the dead.

there the plants flourish. They grow like an orchard of pomegranate trees and bear the finest fruits. There is no lack of henna and nard,