Nehemiah 6

1 Now it came to pass, when it was reported to Sanballat and Tobiah, and to Geshem the Arabian, and to the rest of our enemies, that I had built the wall, and that there was no breach left in it, (though even to that time I had not set up the doors in the gates),

2 that Sanballat and Geshem sent to me, saying, Come, let us meet together in one of the villages in the plain of Ono. But they thought to do me mischief.

3 And I sent messengers to them, saying, I am doing a great work, so that I cannot come down. Why should the work cease while I leave it, and come down to you?

4 And they sent to me four times after this sort, and I answered them after the same manner.

5 Then Sanballat sent his servant to me in like manner the fifth time with an open letter in his hand

6 in which was written, It is reported among the nations, and Gashmu says it, that thou and the Jews think to rebel, for which cause thou are building the wall. And thou would be their king according to these words.

7 And thou have also appointed prophets to preach of thee at Jerusalem, saying, There is a king in Judah. And now it shall be reported to the king according to these words. Come now therefore, and let us take counsel together.

8 Then I sent to him, saying, There are no such things done as thou say, but thou imagine them out of thine own heart.

9 For they all would have made us afraid, saying, Their hands shall be weakened from the work that it not be done. But now, O God, strengthen thou my hands.

10 And I went to the house of Shemaiah the son of Delaiah the son of Mehetabel, who was shut up, and he said, Let us meet together in the house of God, within the temple, and let us shut the doors of the temple. For they will come to kill thee, yea, they will come to kill thee in the night.

11 And I said, Should such a man as I flee? And who is there, that, being such as I, would go into the temple to save his life? I will not go in.

12 And I discerned, and, lo, God had not sent him, but he pronounced this prophecy against me, and Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him.

13 For this cause he was hired, that I should be afraid, and do so, and sin, and that they might have matter for an evil report, that they might reproach me.

14 Remember, O my God, Tobiah and Sanballat according to these their works, and also the prophetess Noadiah, and the rest of the prophets, who would have put me in fear.

15 So the wall was finished in the twenty-fifth day of the month Elul, in fifty-two days.

16 And it came to pass, when all our enemies heard of it, that all the nations that were around us feared, and were much cast down in their own eyes, for they perceived that this work was wrought of our God.

17 Moreover in those days the ranking men of Judah sent many letters to Tobiah, and the letters of Tobiah came to them.

18 For there were many in Judah sworn to him because he was the son-in-law of Shecaniah the son of Arah, and his son Jehohanan had taken the daughter of Meshullam the son of Berechiah to wife.

19 Also they spoke of his good deeds before me, and reported my words to him. And Tobiah sent letters to put me in fear.