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; )

Now when it was reported to Sanballat, Tobiah, 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 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 to me, saying, “Come! Let’s meet together in the villages in the plain of Ono.” But they intended 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.

I sent messengers to them, saying, “I am doing a great work, so that I can’t come down. Why should the work cease while I leave it and come down to you?”

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

They sent to me four times like this; and I answered them the same way.

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

Then Sanballat sent his servant to me the same way the fifth time with an open letter in his hand,

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.

in which was written, “It is reported among the nations, and Gashmu says it, that you and the Jews intend to rebel. Because of that, you are building the wall. You would be their king, according to these words.

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.

You have also appointed prophets to proclaim of you at Jerusalem, saying, ‘There is a king in Judah!’ Now it will be reported to the king according to these words. Come now therefore, and let’s take counsel 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 to him, saying, “There are no such things done as you say, but you imagine them out of your own heart.”

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 all would have made us afraid, saying, “Their hands will be weakened from the work, that it not be done.” But now, 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.

I went to the house of Shemaiah the son of Delaiah the son of Mehetabel, who was shut in at his home; and he said, “Let us meet together in God’s house, within the temple, and let’s shut the doors of the temple; for they will come to kill you. Yes, in the night they will come to kill you.”

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

I said, “Should a man like me flee? 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 observed, and, behold, God had not sent him, for the prophecy was a fable [devised] against me:

I discerned, and behold, God had not sent him, but he pronounced this prophecy against me. 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 was hired so that I would be afraid, do so, and sin, and that they might have material for an evil report, that they might reproach 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.

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

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

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

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 of it, all the nations that were around us were afraid, and they lost their confidence; for they perceived that this work was done by our God.

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

Moreover in those days the nobles of Judah sent many letters to Tobiah, and Tobiah’s letters came 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 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 as wife.

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

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