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,

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.

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.

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.

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?

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?

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

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

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 unto me in like manner the fifth time his young man 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.

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.

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.

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.

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 unto him, saying, “There hath been done nothing like these reports of which thou speakest; but out of thy own heart thou inventest them.”

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 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.

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 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.

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.

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.

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 I perceived that, lo, God had not sent him; but that he pronounced this prophecy over me, because Tobiyah 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 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.

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.

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.

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

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

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 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.

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;

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

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.

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.