This entire chapter is a long listing of the people of the area working on the wall... each one does what is in his own charge. Each one except the nobles, and we are told that they did not put their shoulders to the work... while Shallum, who was there leader of half the district made repairs with his daughters. This is not to say that girls cannot do hard work, but in that day, it was not expected that they would work in this capacity. It was expected that a man would work like this with his sons, and the lack of sons could have been seen (and probably was by some) to be an excuse to not help... but he instead worked with his daughters to repair the section of wall for which they were responsible. What was the difference between the nobles of the Tekoites and the family of Shallum? The nobles considered that the work was not their problem, perhaps it was beneath their dignity, perhaps it was too taxing for their delicate constitutions... but i think that they simply didn't care about anything but their own ease, that they were pleased to be called noble, but didn't care for the responsibilities that went with the title... How often are we guilty of considering our own deires, own ideas, entertainment, or pleasures before we consider the needs of others, of the whole, of the kingdom... what kind of excuses does it take for us to NOT put our shoulders to the work of the Lord? To what do we cling which allow us to believe that the work which needs to be completed is not our responsibility? Beloved, we are all responsible to do that which is in front of us, to repair and to build, to put our shoulders to the work of the Lord!!!