Nehemiah 6

1 Now when Sanballat, Tobiah, and Geshem the Arabian and the rest of our enemies heard that I had rebuilt the wall and that there were no longer any sections left broken open, although I had not yet set up the doors in the gates,

Now 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 that there was no breach left in it, (though even to that time I had not set up the doors in the gates),

2 Sanballat and Geshem sent to me saying, “Come, let us meet together somewhere in the plain of Ono.” But they intended to do harm to me.

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

3 I sent messengers to them, saying, “I am doing a great work, and I cannot come down. Why should the work stop while I leave it and come down to you?”

And I sent messengers to them, saying, I am doing a great work, so that I cannot come down. Why should the work cease while I leave it, and come down to you?

4 They sent me the same message four times, and I answered them the same way each time.

And they sent to me four times after this sort, and I answered them after the same manner.

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

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

6 In it was written, “It is reported among the nations, and Geshem also says it, that you and the Jews are planning to rebel, for that is why you are rebuilding the wall. From what these reports say, you are about to become their king.

in which was written, It is reported among the nations, and Gashmu says it, that thou and the Jews think to rebel, for which cause thou are building the wall. And thou would be their king according to these words.

7 You have also appointed prophets to make this proclamation about you in Jerusalem, saying, 'There is a king in Judah!' You can be sure the king will hear these reports. Therefore come, let us speak with one another.”

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

8 Then I sent word to him saying, “No such things have occurred as you say, for within your heart you invented them.”

Then I sent to him, saying, There are no such things done as thou say, but thou imagine them out of thine own heart.

9 For they all wanted to make us afraid, thinking, “They will drop their hands from doing the work, and it will not be done.” But now, God, please strengthen my hands.

For they all would have made us afraid, saying, Their hands shall be weakened from the work that it not be done. But now, O God, strengthen thou my hands.

10 I went to the house of Shemaiah son of Delaiah son of Mehetabel, who was confined in his home. He said, “Let us meet together in the house of God, inside the temple, and let us close the doors of the temple, for they are coming to kill you. At night they are coming to kill you.”

And I went to 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 kill thee, yea, they will come to kill thee in the night.

11 I replied, “Would a man like me run away? Would a man like me go into the temple just so he could save his own life? I will not go in!”

And I said, Should such a man as I flee? And who is there, that, being such as I, would go into the temple to save his life? I will not go in.

12 I realized that it was not God who sent him, but that he had prophesied against me. Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him.

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

13 They hired him to make me afraid, so that I might do what he said and sin, so they could give me a bad name in order to humiliate me.

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

14 Call to mind Tobiah and Sanballat, my God, and all that they did. Also call to mind the prophetess Noadiah and the rest of the prophets who tried to make me be afraid.

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

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

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

16 When all our enemies heard of it, all the nations around us, they became afraid and they fell greatly in their own eyes. For they knew the work was done with the help of our God.

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

17 At this time the nobles of Judah sent many letters to Tobiah, and Tobiah's letters came to them.

Moreover in those days the ranking men of Judah sent many letters to Tobiah, and the letters of Tobiah came to them.

18 For there were many in Judah who were bound by an oath to him, because he was the son-in-law of Shecaniah son of Arah. His son Jehohanan had taken as his wife the daughter of Meshullam son of Berechiah.

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 to wife.

19 They also spoke to me about his good deeds and reported my words back to him. Letters were sent to me from Tobiah to frighten me.

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