Nehemiah 6

1When Sanballat, Tobiah, Geshem the Arab, and the rest of our enemies heard that I had rebuilt the wall and that no breach was left in it—though up to that time I had not set up the doors in the gates—

2So Sanballat and Geshem sent to me, saying, “Come, and let us meet together in the villages in the plain of Ono.” But they were planning to do me harm.

3So 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?”

4They sent to me four times in this way, and I answered them in the same way.

5Then Sanballat sent his servant to me a fifth time in this manner, with an open letter in his hand.

6It was written in it, “It is being reported among the nations—and Geshem also says it—that you and the Jews are planning to rebel. Therefore you are rebuilding the wall, and according to these reports you are to become their king.”

7And you have even appointed prophets to proclaim concerning you in Jerusalem, saying, ‘There is a king in Judah!’ And now these reports will be heard by the king. So now, come, and let us consult together.

8So I sent to him, saying, “These things that you are saying have not happened, for you are inventing them out of your own heart.”

9For all of them were trying to frighten us, saying, “Their hands will grow weak from the work, and it will not be done.” But now, strengthen my hands.

10Then I went to the house of Shemaiah son of Delaiah, son of Mehetabel, who was confined, and he said, “Let us meet at the house of God, inside the temple, and let us shut the doors of the temple, for they are coming to kill you—yes, at night they are coming to kill you.”

11But I said, “Should a man like me flee? And who is like me, who could go into the temple and live? I will not go in.”

12Then I recognized, and behold, God had not sent him; rather, he had spoken the prophecy against me because Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him.

13He was hired for this purpose: that I should become afraid and act that way and sin, so that they would have grounds for an evil report, in order that they might reproach me.

14Remember Tobiah and Sanballat, my God, according to these deeds of theirs, and also Noadiah the prophetess and the rest of the prophets who were trying to make me afraid.

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

16And it happened that when all our enemies heard, and all the nations around us saw, they fell greatly in their own eyes, and they knew that this work had been done by our God.

17Also, in those days the nobles of Judah were sending many letters to Tobiah, and those from Tobiah were coming to them.

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

19Also they kept speaking of his good deeds in my presence, and they kept reporting my words to him. Tobiah sent letters to frighten me.