¹⁷ The ones who were building the wall and the ones who carried the materials^[a] were carrying in one hand while doing the task, and with the other hand were grasping a weapon. ¹⁸ Each of the builders had his sword tied to his side while building. And the man who sounded the trumpet was beside me. ¹⁹ I said to the nobles, to the prefects, and to the rest of the people, “The work is great and widespread, and we are spread out over the wall far from each other.