Nehemiah 6

1 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,

And when Sanballat, and Tobiah, and Geshem the Arabian, and the rest of our enemies heard that I had built the wall, and that there were no more breaches therein, (though at that time I had not set vp the doores vpon the gates)

2 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.

Then sent Sanballat and Geshem vnto me, saying, Come thou that we may meete together in the villages in the plaine of Ono: and they thought to doe me euill.

3 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?

Therefore I sent messengers vnto them, saying, I haue a great worke to doe, and I can not come downe: why should the worke cease, whiles I leaue it, and come downe to you?

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

Yet they sent vnto me foure times after this sort. And I answered them after the same maner.

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

Then sent Sanballat his seruant after this sorte vnto me the fift time, with an open letter in his hand,

6 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.

Wherein was written, It is reported among the heathen, and Gashmu hath sayd it, that thou and the Iewes thinke to rebel, for the which cause thou buildest the wall and thou wilt bee their King according to these wordes.

7 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.

Thou hast also ordeyned the Prophets to preach of thee at Ierusalem, saying, There is a King in Iudah: and nowe according to these wordes it shall come to the Kings eares: come now therefore, and let vs take counsell together.

8 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.

Then I sent vnto him, saying, It is not done according to these wordes that thou sayest: for thou feynest them of thine owne heart.

9 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!

For all they afrayed vs, saying, Their handes shalbe weakened from the worke, and it shall not be done: nowe therefore incourage thou me.

10 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.

And I came to the house of Shemaiah the sonne of Delaiah the sonne of Mehetabeel, and he was shut vp, and he said, Let vs come together into the house of God in the middes of the Temple, and shut the doores of the Temple: for they will come to slay thee: yea, in the night will they come to kill thee.

11 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.

Then I said, Should such a man as I, flee? Who is he, being as I am, that would go into the Temple to liue? I will not goe in.

12 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:

And loe, I perceiued, that God had not sent him, but that he pronounced this prophecie against me: for Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him.

13 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.

Therefore was he hyred, that I might be afrayde, and doe thus, and sinne, and that they might haue an euill report that they might reproche me.

14 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.

My God, remember thou Tobiah, and Sanballat according vnto these their workes, and Noadiah the Prophetesse also, and the rest of the Prophets that would haue put me in feare.

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

Notwithstanding the wall was finished on the fiue and twentieth day of Elul, in two and fiftie dayes.

16 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.

And when all our enemies heard thereof, euen all the heathen that were about vs, they were afraid, and their courage failed them: for they knew, that this worke was wrought by our God.

17 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;

And in these dayes were there many of the princes of Iudah, whose letters went vnto Tobiah, and those of Tobiah came vnto them.

18 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.

For there were many in Iudah, that were sworne vnto him: for he was the sonne in lawe of Shechaniah, the sonne of Arah: and his sonne Iehonathan had the daughter of Meshullam, the sonne of Berechiah.

19 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.

Yea, they spake in his praise before me, and tolde him my wordes, and Tobiah sent letters to put me in feare.