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,

It was told to Sanballat, Tobiah, Geshem the Arab, and to the rest of those who hated us that I had built the wall again. They were told that the wall had no more open places, but I had not yet 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.

So Sanballat and Geshem sent word to me, saying, “Come, let us meet together in one of the villages in the plain of Ono.” But they were planning to hurt or kill me.

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?”

So I sent men with word 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?”

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

They sent word to me four times in this way, and I gave them the same answer.

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

Then Sanballat sent his servant to me in the same way for a 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 it was written, “It is said among the nations, and Gashmu says that you and the Jews are planning to turn against the king. This is why you are building the wall again. It is said that you wish to be 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.”

You have also chosen men who tell what will happen to speak to the people in Jerusalem about you, saying, ‘A king is in Judah!’ Now this will be told to the king. So come now, let us meet to speak with each other.”

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.”

Then I sent word to him, saying, “No such things as you say have been done. You are making them up in your own mind.”

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 wanted to make us afraid, thinking, “Their hands will become weak and the work will not be done.” But now, O God, 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.”

When I went into the house of Shemaiah the son of Delaiah, son of Mehetabel, who was at home said, “Let us meet together inside the house of God, and close the doors of the Lord’s house for they are coming to kill you. They are coming to kill you at night.”

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.”

But I said, “Should a man like me run away? And could a man such as I go into the house of God to save his life? 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.

Then I understood that God had not sent him. He had spoken these words against me because Tobiah and Sanballat had paid him to do it.

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.

He had been paid to try to make me afraid and to do as he said and sin, so they would have sinful things to say about me and put me to shame.

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

O my God, remember Tobiah and Sanballat by these works of theirs. And remember Noadiah and the rest of the men who tell what will happen who were trying to make me afraid. The Wall Is Finished

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 day of the month 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.

When all those who hated us heard about it, all the nations around us were afraid and troubled. For they saw that this work had been done with the help of 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.

In those days the rulers of Judah sent many letters to Tobiah, and Tobiah’s letters 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 many in Judah were joined by promise 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, 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 about Tobiah’s good works in front of me, and told my words to him. Then Tobiah sent letters to make me afraid.