Nehemiah 6

When Sanballat, Tobiah, Geshem the Arab, and the rest of our enemies heard that I had rebuilt the wall and that no breach remained in it — though at that point I had not yet installed the doors in the gates —

KJV Now it came to pass, when Sanballat, and Tobiah, and Geshem the Arabian, and the rest of our enemies, heard that I had builded the wall, and that there was no breach left therein; (though at that time I had not set up the doors upon the gates;)

Sanballat and Geshem sent me a message: "Come, let us meet together in one of the villages on the plain of Ono." But they intended to do me harm.

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

I sent messengers back to them: "I am doing a great work and cannot come down. Why should the work stop while I leave it to come down to you?"

KJV And I sent messengers unto them, saying, I am doing a great work, so that I cannot come down: why should the work cease, whilst I leave it, and come down to you?

They sent the same message to me four times, and each time I gave them the same answer.

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

Then Sanballat sent his servant to me a fifth time, this time with an open letter in his hand.

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

In it was written: "It is reported among the nations — and Gashmu confirms it — that you and the Jews are planning to rebel. That is why you are rebuilding the wall. According to these reports, you intend to become their king.

KJV Wherein was written, It is reported among the heathen, and Gashmu saith it, that thou and the Jews think to rebel: for which cause thou buildest the wall, that thou mayest be their king, according to these words.

You have even appointed prophets to proclaim about you in Jerusalem: 'There is a king in Judah!' Now this will be reported to the king. So come, let us meet and discuss this together."

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

I sent back this reply: "Nothing like what you describe has happened. You are fabricating this from your own imagination."

KJV Then I sent unto him, saying, There are no such things done as thou sayest, but thou feignest them out of thine own heart.

They were all trying to intimidate us, thinking, "Their hands will drop from the work, and it will not get done." But now, strengthen my hands!

KJV For they all made us afraid, saying, Their hands shall be weakened from the work, that it be not done. Now therefore, O God, strengthen my hands.

I went to the house of Shemaiah son of Delaiah son of Mehetabel, who was confined at home. He said, "Let us meet inside the house of God, inside the inner sanctuary. Let us close the doors of the sanctuary, because they are coming to kill you — they are coming by night to kill you."

KJV Afterward I came unto the house of Shemaiah the son of Delaiah the son of Mehetabeel, 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 slay thee; yea, in the night will they come to slay thee.

I said, "Should a man like me run away? And should someone like me enter the sanctuary to save his life? I will not go in."

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

I recognized that God had not sent him. He had spoken this so-called prophecy against me because Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him.

KJV And, lo, I perceived that God had not sent him; but that he pronounced this prophecy against me: for Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him.

He had been hired so that I would be afraid, act on that fear, and sin — giving them grounds for slander to discredit me.

KJV Therefore was he 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.

Remember, my God, what Tobiah and Sanballat have done — and also the prophetess Noadiah and the rest of the prophets who tried to intimidate me.

KJV My God, think thou upon Tobiah and Sanballat according to these their works, and on the prophetess Noadiah, and the rest of the prophets, that would have put me in fear.

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

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

When all our enemies heard about it and all the surrounding nations saw it, they were deeply demoralized. They recognized that this work had been accomplished by our God.

KJV And it came to pass, that when all our enemies heard thereof, and all the heathen that were about us saw these things, they were much cast down in their own eyes: for they perceived that this work was wrought of our God.

Also in those days, many letters were going back and forth between the nobles of Judah and Tobiah.

KJV Moreover in those days the nobles of Judah sent many letters unto Tobiah, and the letters of Tobiah came unto them.

For many in Judah were bound to him by oath, because he was the son-in-law of Shekhaniah son of Arach, and his son Yehohanan had married the daughter of Meshullam son of Berekiah.

KJV For there were many in Judah sworn unto him, because he was the son in law of Shechaniah the son of Arah; and his son Johanan had taken the daughter of Meshullam the son of Berechiah.

They also kept telling me about Tobiah's good qualities, while reporting my words back to him. And Tobiah kept sending letters to intimidate me.

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