Nehemiah 6

1 When Sanballat, Tobiah, Geshem the Arab, and the rest of our enemies heard that I had rebuilt the wall and not a gap was left—though to that time I had not yet installed the doors in the gates—

Now it came to pass, when it came to the hearing of Sanballat, and Tobiyah, and Geshem the Arabian, and the rest of our enemies, that I had built the wall, and that there was no breach left therein, although up to that time I had not yet set up the doors in the gates.

2 Sanballat and Geshem sent me this message: “Come, let us meet together in one of the villages on the plain of Ono.” But they were planning to harm me.

That Sanballat and Geshem sent unto me, saying, Come, let us meet together in Kephirim, in the plain of Ono. But they were thinking of doing me mischief.

3 So I sent messengers to them, saying, “I am doing a great work and cannot come down. Why should the work stop while I leave it to go down to you?”

And I sent messengers unto them, saying, I am doing a great work, and I cannot come down: why should the work cease, while I leave it lying, and come down to you?

4 Four times they sent me the same message, and each time I gave the same reply.

And they sent unto me after this manner four times; and I answered them after the same manner.

5 The fifth time, Sanballat sent me this same message by his young servant, who had in his hand an unsealed letter

Then sent Sanballat unto me in like manner the fifth time his young man with an open letter in his hand:

6 that read: “It is reported among the nations—and Geshem agrees—that you and the Jews are plotting to revolt, and this is why you are building the wall. According to these reports, you are to become their king,

Therein was written, It hath been heard among the nations, and Gashmu saith it, that thou and the Jews think of rebelling; wherefore thou art building up the wall; and that thou art to be king unto them, according to these reports.

7 and you have even appointed prophets in Jerusalem to proclaim on your behalf: ‘There is a king in Judah.’ Soon these rumors will reach the ears of the king. So come, let us confer together.”

And that thou hast also set up prophets to proclaim concerning thee at Jerusalem, saying, He is king in Judah: and now there may be reported to the king something like these words. Now therefore come, and let us take counsel together.

8 Then I sent him this reply: “There is nothing to these rumors you are spreading; you are inventing them in your own mind.”

Then I sent unto him, saying, “There hath been done nothing like these reports of which thou speakest; but out of thy own heart thou inventest them.”

9 For they were all trying to frighten us, saying, “Their hands will be weakened in the work, and it will never be finished.” But now, my God, strengthen my hands.

For they all wished to make us afraid, thinking, Their hands will be withdrawn from the work, so that it will not be done. Now therefore, [O God, ] strengthen my hands.

10 Later, I went to the house of Shemaiah son of Delaiah, the son of Mehetabel, who was confined to his house. He said: “Let us meet at the house of God inside the temple. Let us shut the temple doors because they are coming to kill you— by night they are coming to kill you!”

And I came also into the house of Shema'yah the son of Delayah the son of Mehetabel, who had shut himself up; and he said, Let us meet together in the house of God, within the temple, and let us lock the doors of the temple; for they are coming to slay thee: yea, in the night are they coming to slay thee.

11 But I replied, “Should a man like me run away? Should one like me go into the temple to save his own life? I will not go!”

And I said, Should a man like me flee? and who is there that is like me, that would go into the temple and live? I will not go in.

12 I realized that God had not sent him, but that he had uttered this prophecy against me because Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him.

And I perceived that, lo, God had not sent him; but that he pronounced this prophecy over me, because Tobiyah and Sanballat had hired him.

13 He had been hired to intimidate me so that I would sin by doing as he suggested, so they could give me a bad name in order to discredit me.

Therefore was he hired, in order that I should become afraid, and do so, and sin, and that it might serve them for an evil report, so that they might cast reproach upon me.

14 O my God, remember Tobiah and Sanballat for what they have done, and also Noadiah the prophetess and the other prophets who tried to intimidate me.

Think, O my God, of Tobiyah and Sanballat according to these their works, and also of No'adyah the prophetess, and the rest of the prophets, who wished to make me afraid.

15 So the wall was completed in fifty-two days, on the twenty-fifth of Elul.

And so was the wall finished on the twenty and fifth day of the month Elul, in fifty and two days.

16 When all our enemies heard about this, all the surrounding nations were afraid and disheartened, for they realized that this task had been accomplished by our God.

And it came to pass, when our enemies heard this, and all the nations that were about us saw it, that they sank greatly in their own eyes; and they perceived that by the aid of our God had this work been wrought.

17 Also in those days, the nobles of Judah sent many letters to Tobiah, and Tobiah’s letters came back to them.

Moreover in those days the nobles of Judah despatched frequently their letters unto Tobiyah, and those of Tobiyah came unto them.

18 For many in Judah were bound by oath to him, since he was a son-in-law of Shecaniah son of Arah, and his son Jehohanan had married the daughter of Meshullam son of Berechiah.

For many in Judah were sworn friends unto him; because he was the son-in-law of Shechanyah the son of Arach, and Jehochanan his son had taken the daughter of Meshullam the son of Bercehyah.

19 Moreover, these nobles kept reporting to me Tobiah’s good deeds, and they relayed my words to him. And Tobiah sent letters to intimidate me.

Also his good deeds were they reporting before me, and my words they used to carry out to him: also Tobiyah sent letters to make me afraid.