Nehemiah 6

1 Now it came to pass, when Sanaballat, and Tobias, and Gesam the Arabian, and the rest of our enemies, heard that I had built the wall, and [that] there was no opening left therein; ([but] hitherto I had not set up the doors on the gates; )

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—

2 that Sanaballat and Gesam sent to me, saying, Come and let us meet together in the villages in the plain of Ono. But they [were] plotting to do me mischief.

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.

3 So I sent messengers to them, saying, I am doing a great work, and I shall not be able to come down, lest the work should cease: as soon as I shall have finished it, I will come down to you.

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?”

4 And they sent to me [again] to this effect; and I sent them [word] accordingly.

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

5 Then Sanaballat sent his servant to me with an open letter in his hand.

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

6 And in it was written, It has been reported amongst the Gentiles that you and the Jews are planning to revolt: therefore you are building the wall, and you will be a king to them.

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,

7 And moreover you has appointed prophets to yourself, that you might dwell in Jerusalem as a king over Juda: and now these words will be reported to the king. Now then, come, let us take counsel together.

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.”

8 And I sent to him, saying, It has not happened according to these words, [even] as you say, for you frame them falsely out of your heart.

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

9 For all were trying to alarm us, saying, Their hands shall be weakened from this work, and it shall not be done. Now therefore I have strengthened my hands.

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.

10 And I came into the house of Semei the son of Dalaia the Son of Metabeel, and he was shut up; and he said, Let us assemble together in the house of God, in the midst of it, and let us shut the doors of it; for they are coming by night to kill you.

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!”

11 And I said, Who is the man that shall enter into the house, that he may live?

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!”

12 And I observed, and, behold, God had not sent him, for the prophecy was a fable [devised] against me:

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

13 and Tobias and Sanaballat had hired against me a multitude, that I might be frightened, and do this, and sin, and become to them an ill name, that they might reproach me.

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.

14 Remember, O God, Tobias and Sanaballat, according to these their deeds, and the prophetess Noadia, and the rest of the prophets who tried to alarm me.

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.

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

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

16 And it came to pass, when all our enemies heard [of it], that all the nations round about us feared, and great alarm fell upon them, and they knew that it was of our God that this work should be finished.

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.

17 And in those days letters came to Tobias from many nobles of Juda, and those of Tobias came to them.

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

18 For many in Juda were bound to him by oath, because he was son-in-law of Sechenias the son of Herae; and Jonan his son had taken the daughter of Mesulam the son of Barachia to wife.

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.

19 And they reported his words to me, and carried out my words to him: and Tobias sent letters to terrify me.

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.