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 Sanaballat, and Tobias, and Gesam the Arabian, and the rest of our enemies, heard that I had built the wall, and [that] there was no opening left therein; ([but] hitherto I had not set up the doors on 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 Sanaballat and Gesam sent to me, saying, Come and let us meet together in the villages in the plain of Ono. But they [were] plotting 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?”

So I sent messengers to them, saying, I am doing a great work, and I shall not be able to come down, lest the work should cease: as soon as I shall have finished it, I will 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 [again] to this effect; and I sent them [word] accordingly.

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

Then Sanaballat sent his servant to me 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.

And in it was written, It has been reported among the Gentiles that you and the Jews are planning to revolt: therefore you are building the wall, and you will be a king to them.

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 moreover you has appointed prophets to yourself, that you might dwell in Jerusalem as a king over Juda: and now these words will be reported to the king. Now then, come, 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.”

And I sent to him, saying, It has not happened according to these words, [even] as you say, for you frame them falsely out of your 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 all were trying to alarm us, saying, Their hands shall be weakened from this work, and it shall not be done. Now therefore I have strengthened 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 came into the house of Semei the son of Dalaia the Son of Metabeel, and he was shut up; and he said, Let us assemble together in the house of God, in the midst of it, and let us shut the doors of it; for they are coming by night to kill you.

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, Who is the man that shall enter into the house, that he may live?

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 observed, and, behold, God had not sent him, for the prophecy was a fable [devised] against me:

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.

and Tobias and Sanaballat had hired against me a multitude, that I might be frightened, and do this, and sin, and become to them an ill name, 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 God, Tobias and Sanaballat, according to these their deeds, and the prophetess Noadia, and the rest of the prophets who tried to alarm me.

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 on 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 round about us feared, and great alarm fell upon them, and they knew that it was of our God that this work should be finished.

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

And in those days letters came to Tobias from many nobles of Juda, and those of Tobias 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 many in Juda were bound to him by oath, because he was son-in-law of Sechenias the son of Herae; and Jonan his son had taken the daughter of Mesulam the son of Barachia 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.

And they reported his words to me, and carried out my words to him: and Tobias sent letters to terrify me.