Nehemiah 6

1 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.

Now it happened that, when Sanballat, and Tobiah, and Geshem, an Arab, and our other enemies, had heard that I had built the wall, and that there was no interruption remaining in it, (even though, at that time, I had not set up the double doors at the gates, )

2 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.

Sanballat and Geshem sent to me, saying: “Come, and let us strike a pact together in the villages, on the plain of Ono.” But they were thinking that they would do me harm.

3 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?

Therefore, I sent messengers to them, saying: “I am doing a great work, and I cannot descend, lest perhaps it may be neglected when I go out and descend to you.”

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

Then they sent to me, with this same word, four times. And I responded to them with the same word as before.

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

And Sanballat sent his servant to me a fifth time, with the former word, and he had a letter in his hand written in this manner:

6 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.

“It has been heard among the Gentiles, and Geshem has said it, that you and the Jews are planning to rebel, and because of this, you are building the wall and thinking to raise yourself as a king over them. For this reason,

7 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.

you also have stationed prophets, who preach about you in Jerusalem, saying: ‘There is a king in Judea!’ But the king will hear about these words. Therefore, come now, so that we may go to counsel together.”

8 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.”

And I sent to them, saying: “There has been nothing done according to these words, which you have spoken. For you are inventing these things from your own heart.”

9 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.

For all these men wished to frighten us, thinking that our hands would cease from the work, and that we would cease. For this reason, I strengthened my hands all the more.

10 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.

And I entered into the house of Shemaiah, the son of Delaiah, the son of Mehetabel, in secret. And he said: “Let us consult together in the house of God, in the midst of the temple. And let us close the doors of the temple. For they will come to kill you, and they will arrive in the night to put you to death.”

11 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.

And I said: “How could anyone like me flee? And who like me should enter the temple, so that he may live? I will not enter.”

12 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.

And I understood that God had not sent him, but he had spoken to me as if he were prophesying, and that Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him.

13 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.

For he had accepted money, so that I would be afraid, and would sin, and so that they would have some evil with which to rebuke me.

14 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.

Remember me, O Lord, because of Tobiah and Sanballat, because of their works of this kind. Then, too, Noadiah, a prophetess, and the rest of the prophets, would have made me afraid.

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

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

16 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.

Then it happened that, when all our enemies had heard of it, all the nations that were around us were afraid, and they were downcast within themselves. For they knew that this work had been accomplished by God.

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

But also, in those days, many letters were being sent by the nobles of the Jews to Tobiah, and were arriving from Tobiah to them.

18 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.

For there were many in Judea who had sworn an oath to him, because he was the son-in-law of Shecaniah, the son of Arah, and because Jehohanan, his son, had married the daughter of Meshullam, the son of Berechiah.

19 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.

Moreover, they praised him before me, and they reported my words to him. And Tobiah sent letters, so that he might make me afraid.