1 I t 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.

Now 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 therein; (though even to that time I had not set up the doors in the gates;)

2 S o 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.

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

3 S o 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?”

I sent messengers to them, saying, “I am doing a great work, so that I can’t come down. Why should the work cease, while I leave it, and come down to you?”

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

They sent to me four times after this sort; and I answered them the same way.

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

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

6 I n 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.

in which was written, “It is reported among the nations, and Gashmu says it, that you and the Jews intend to rebel. Because of that, you are building the wall. You would be their king, according to these words.

7 Y ou 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.”

You have also appointed prophets to preach of you at Jerusalem, saying, ‘There is a king in Judah!’ 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 word to him, saying, “No such things as you say have been done. You are making them up in your own mind.”

Then I sent to him, saying, “There are no such things done as you say, but you imagine them out of your own heart.”

9 F or 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.

For they all would have made us afraid, saying, “Their hands will be weakened from the work, that it not be done.” But now, strengthen my hands.

10 W hen 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.”

I went to the house of Shemaiah the son of Delaiah the son of Mehetabel, who was shut in at his home; and he said, “Let us meet together in God’s house, within the temple, and let us shut the doors of the temple; for they will come to kill you; yes, in the night will they come to kill you.”

11 B ut 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.”

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

12 T hen 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.

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

13 H e 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.

He hired so that I would be afraid, do so, and sin, and that they might have material for an evil report, that they might reproach me.

14 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

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

15 S o the wall was finished on the twenty-fifth day of the month of Elul, in fifty-two days.

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

16 W hen 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.

When all our enemies heard of it, all the nations that were around us were afraid, and were much cast down in their own eyes; for they perceived that this work was worked of our God.

17 I n those days the rulers of Judah sent many letters to Tobiah, and Tobiah’s letters came to them.

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

18 F or 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.

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 as wife.

19 A lso 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.

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