1 N ow when it was reported to Sanballat, Tobiah, to Geshem the Arab and to the rest of our enemies that I had rebuilt the wall, and that no breach remained in it, although at that time I had not set up the doors in the gates,

And it came to pass when Sanballat, and Tobijah, and Geshem the Arabian, and the rest of our enemies, heard that I had built the wall, and that there was no breach left in it (though at that time I had not set up the doors in the gates),

2 t hen Sanballat and Geshem sent a message to me, saying, “Come, let us meet together at Chephirim in the plain of Ono.” But they were planning to harm me.

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

3 S o 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, and I cannot come down. Why should the work cease, whilst I leave it and come down to you?

4 T hey sent messages to me four times in this manner, and I answered them in the same way.

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

5 T hen Sanballat sent his servant to me in the same manner a fifth time with an open letter in his hand.

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

6 I n it was written, “It is reported among the nations, and Gashmu says, that you and the Jews are planning to rebel; therefore you are rebuilding the wall. And you are to be their king, according to these reports.

in which was written: It is reported among the nations, and Gashmu says thou and the Jews think to rebel, for which cause thou buildest the wall, and according to these words thou wilt become their king.

7 Y ou have also appointed prophets to proclaim in Jerusalem concerning you, ‘A king is in Judah!’ And now it will be reported to the king according to these reports. So come now, let us take counsel together.”

And thou hast also appointed prophets to proclaim concerning thee at Jerusalem saying, There is a king in Judah! And now it will be reported to the king according to these words. Come now therefore, and let us take counsel together.

8 T hen I sent a message to him saying, “Such things as you are saying have not been done, but you are inventing them in your own mind.”

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

9 F or all of them were trying to frighten us, thinking, “ They will become discouraged with the work and it will not be done.” But now, O God, strengthen my hands.

For they all would have made us afraid, saying, Their hands shall be slackened from the work, that it be not carried out.—Now therefore strengthen my hands!

10 W hen I entered the house of Shemaiah the son of Delaiah, son of Mehetabel, who was confined at home, he said, “Let us meet together in the house of God, within the temple, and let us close the doors of the temple, for they are coming to kill you, and they are coming to kill you at night.”

And I came to the house of Shemaiah the son of Delaiah, the son of Mehetabeel, who had shut himself 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 are coming to kill thee; even in the night are they coming to kill thee.

11 B ut I said, “ Should a man like me flee? And could one such as I go into the temple to save his life? I will not go in.”

And I said, Should such a man as I flee? and who is there, that, being as I am, could go into the temple, and live? I will not go in.

12 T hen I perceived that surely God had not sent him, but he uttered his prophecy against me because Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him.

And I perceived, and behold, God had not sent him; for he pronounced this prophecy against me; and Tobijah and Sanballat had hired him.

13 H e was hired for this reason, that I might become frightened and act accordingly and sin, so that they might have an evil report in order that they could reproach me.

Therefore was he hired, that I should be afraid, and do so, and sin, and that they might have wherewith to spread an evil report, that they might reproach me.

14 R emember, O my God, Tobiah and Sanballat according to these works of theirs, and also Noadiah the prophetess and the rest of the prophets who were trying to frighten me. The Wall Is Finished

My God, remember Tobijah 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 S o the wall was completed on the twenty-fifth of the month Elul, in fifty-two days.

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

16 W hen all our enemies heard of it, and all the nations surrounding us saw it, they lost their confidence; for they recognized that this work had been accomplished with the help of our God.

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

17 A lso in those days many letters went from the nobles of Judah to Tobiah, and Tobiah’s letters came to them.

Moreover in those days the nobles of Judah sent many letters to Tobijah, and those of Tobijah came to them.

18 F or many in Judah were bound by oath to him because he was the son-in-law of Shecaniah the son of Arah, and his son Jehohanan had married the daughter of Meshullam the son of Berechiah.

For there were many in Judah sworn to him; for he was a son-in-law of Shechaniah the son of Arah; and his son Johanan had taken the daughter of Meshullam the son of Berechiah.

19 M oreover, they were speaking about his good deeds in my presence and reported my words to him. Then Tobiah sent letters to frighten me.

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