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