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.
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