Nehemiah 6

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

And 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 there was left therein no breach, —though, up to that time, the doors, had I not set up in the gates,

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

that Sanballat and Geshem sent unto me, saying, Come! and let us meet together in the villages, in the valley of Ono, —But, they, were plotting to do me harm.

3 And I sent messengers unto them, saying: 'I am doing a great work, so that I cannot come down; why should the work cease, whilst I leave it, and come down to you?'

So I sent unto them messengers, saying, A great work, am, I, doing, and cannot come down, —wherefore should the work cease whilst I leave it, and come down unto you?

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

Yet they sent unto me, according to this message, four times, —and I replied to them according to this answer.

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

Then Sanballat sent unto me, according to this message, a fifth time, by his young man, —with an open letter, in his hand:

6 wherein was written: 'It is reported among the nations, and Geshem saith it, that thou and the Jews think to rebel; for which cause thou buildest the wall; and thou wouldest be their king, even according to these words.

wherein was written—Among the nations, it is reported, and, Gashmu, saith it, that, thou and the Jews, are plotting to rebel, for which cause, thou art building the wall, —and, thou, art to become their king, according to these words.

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

Moreover also, prophets, hast thou set up to make proclamation concerning thee in Jerusalem, saying, He hath become king in Judah! Now, therefore, will it he reported to the king, according to these words. Now, therefore, come, and let us take counsel together.

8 Then I sent unto him, saying: 'There are no such things done as thou sayest, but thou feignest them out of thine own heart.'

Then sent I unto him, saying, Nothing hath been done, according to these words, which thou art saying, —but, out of thine own heart, art thou feigning them.

9 For they all would have us afraid, saying: 'Their hands shall be weakened from the work, that it be not done.' But now, strengthen Thou my hands.

For, they all, were seeking to put us in fear, saying, Their hands will slacken from the work, and it will not be accomplished. Now, therefore, strengthen thou my hands!

10 And as for me, I went unto 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 slay thee; yea, in the night will they come to slay thee.'

When, I, came into the house of Shemaiah, son of Delaiah, son of Mehetabel, he, being shut in, he said, Let us meet together in the house of God, in the midst of the temple, and let us close the doors of the temple, for they are coming to slay thee, yea, by night, are they coming to slay thee.

11 And I said: 'Should such a man as I flee? and who is there, that, being such as I, could go into the temple and live? I will not go in.'

Then said I, Should, such a man as I, flee? Who then, being such as I, would enter the temple to save his life? I will not enter.

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

Then perceived I, that lo! it was, not God, who had sent him, —though, a prophecy, he had spoken concerning me, but, Tobiah and Sanballat, had hired him:

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

to this end, hired, he was, to the end that I might be afraid and do so, and might sin, —and it might serve them for an evil report, to the end they might bring reproach upon 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, that would have me put in fear.

Have remembrance, O my God, of Tobiah and of Sanballat, according to these their doings, —moreover also, of Noadiah the prophetess, and of the rest of the prophets, who would have put me in fear.

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

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

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

And it came to pass, when all our enemies heard, and all the nations that were round about us saw, that they fell greatly in their own eyes, and took knowledge that, from God, had this work been wrought.

17 Moreover in those days the nobles of Judah sent many letters unto Tobiah, and the letters of Tobiah came unto them.

Moreover, in those days, were the nobles of Judah busy with their letters which were going unto Tobiah, —and those of Tobiah were coming unto them;

18 For there were many in Judah sworn unto 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.

for, many in Judah, had taken an oath to him, because he was in marriage affinity with Shecaniah son of Arah, —and, Jehohanan his son, had taken the daughter of Meshullam, son of Berechiah.

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.

Moreover, his good deeds, were they telling before me, and, my affairs, were they carrying out to him, —letters, did Tobiah send to put me in fear.