Nehemiah 6
1. 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;)
2. 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.
3. 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?
4. Yet they sent * unto me four times after this sort; and I answered * them after the same manner.
5. Then sent * Sanballat his servant unto me in like manner the fifth time with an open * letter in his hand;
6. 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.
7. 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.
8. Then I sent * unto him, saying * , There are * no such things done * as thou sayest * , but thou feignest * them out of thine own heart.
9. 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.
10. 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.
11. 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 * .
12. 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.
13. 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.
14. 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 * .
15. So the wall was finished * in the twenty and fifth day of the month Elul, in fifty and two days.
16. 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.
17. Moreover in those days the nobles of Judah sent * many * letters unto Tobiah, and the letters of Tobiah came * unto them.
18. 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.
19. Also they reported * his good deeds before me, and uttered * my words to him. And Tobiah sent * letters to put me in fear * .
