Chapter 6

Now it came to pass, when Sanballat, and Tobiah, and Geshem the Arabian, and the rest of our enemies,⁶ heard⁸ that I had builded¹ the wall, and [that] there was no breach left⁸ therein; (though at that time I had not set up⁵² the doors upon the gates;)

That Sanballat and Geshem sent⁴ unto me, saying,² Come,³ let us meet¹¹ together in [some one of] the villages in the plain of Ono. But they thought⁶ to do² me mischief.

And I sent⁴ messengers unto them, saying,² I [am] doing⁶ a great work, so that I cannot ^{3201 4} come down:² why should the work cease,⁴ whilst I leave⁵⁵ it, and come down¹ to you?

Yet they sent⁴ unto me four times after this sort; and I answered⁵⁵ them after the same manner.

Then sent⁴ Sanballat his servant unto me in like manner the fifth time with an open⁷ letter in his hand;

Wherein [was] written,⁷ It is reported⁸ among the heathen, and Gashmu saith⁶ [it, that] thou and the Jews think⁶ to rebel:² for which cause thou buildest⁶ the wall, that thou mayest be⁶ their king, according to these words.

And thou hast also appointed⁵² prophets to preach² of thee at Jerusalem, saying,² [There is] a king in Judah: and now shall it be reported¹¹ to the king according to these words. Come³ now therefore, and let us take counsel¹¹ together.

Then I sent⁴ unto him, saying,² There are no such things done⁸ as thou sayest,⁶ but thou feignest⁶ them out of thine own heart.

For they all made us afraid,¹⁸ saying,² Their hands shall be weakened⁴ from the work, that it be not done.¹¹ Now therefore, [O God], strengthen¹⁶ my hands.

Afterward I came¹ unto the house of Shemaiah the son of Delaiah the son of Mehetabeel, who [was] shut up;⁷ and he said,⁴ Let us meet together¹¹ in the house of God, within the temple, and let us shut⁴ the doors of the temple: for they will come⁶ to slay² thee; yea, in the night will they come⁶ to slay² thee.

And I said,⁴ Should such a man as I flee?⁴ and who [is there], that, [being] as I [am], would go⁴ into the temple to save his life?¹ I will not go in.⁴

And, lo, I perceived⁵⁵ that God had not sent¹ him; but that he pronounced¹⁴ this prophecy against me: for Tobiah and Sanballat had hired¹ him.

Therefore [was] he hired,⁷ that I should be afraid,⁴ and do⁴ so, and sin,¹ and [that] they might have [matter] for an evil report, that they might reproach¹⁷ me.

My God, think³ 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.¹⁸

So the wall was finished⁴ in the twenty and fifth [day] of [the month] Elul, in fifty and two days.

And it came to pass, that when all our enemies⁶ heard¹ [thereof], and all the heathen that [were] about us saw⁴ [these things], they were much cast down⁴ in their own eyes: for they perceived⁴ that this work was wrought⁸ of our God.

Moreover in those days the nobles of Judah sent⁶ many⁵⁶ letters unto Tobiah, and [the letters] of Tobiah came⁶ unto them.

For [there were] many in Judah sworn ⁷⁶²¹ unto him, because he [was] the son in law of Shechaniah the son of Arah; and his son Johanan had taken¹ the daughter of Meshullam the son of Berechiah.

Also they reported⁶ his good deeds before me, and uttered⁵⁶ my words to him. [And] Tobiah sent¹ letters to put me in fear.¹⁵