Nehemiah 6
1 When Sanballat, Tobiah, Geshem the Arab, and the rest of our enemies heard that I had rebuilt the wall and that no gap remained in it—though up to that time I had not yet set the doors in the gates—
2 Sanballat and Geshem sent me this message: “Come, let’s meet in one of the villages in the plain of Ono.” But they were planning to harm me.
3 I sent messengers to them with this reply: “I am doing important work and cannot come down. Why should the work stop while I leave it and come down to you?”
4 They sent me the same message four times, and I answered them in the same way each time.
5 The fifth time, Sanballat sent his servant to me with the same message, and the servant had an open letter in his hand.
6 It said: “There is talk among the nations, and Gasmu confirms it, that you and the Jews are planning to rebel. That is why you are building the wall. And according to these reports, you intend to become their king.
7 You have also appointed prophets to proclaim about you in Jerusalem, ‘There is a king in Judah!’ Now these reports will reach the king’s ears. So come, let’s confer together.”
8 I sent him this reply: “None of what you are saying has happened. You are making it up in your own mind.”
9 They were all trying to frighten us, thinking, “Their hands will grow weak, and the work will not be done.” But now, strengthen my hands!
10 I went to the house of Shemaiah son of Delaiah, son of Mehetabel, who was confined there. He said, “Let’s meet in the house of God, inside the sanctuary, and shut the sanctuary doors, because they are coming to kill you. They will come at night to kill you.”
11 But I said, “Would a man like me run away? And who like me would enter the sanctuary and live? I will not go in.”
12 Then I realized that God had not sent him. He had spoken that prophecy against me because Tobiah and Sanballat had bribed him.
13 He had been bribed so that I would be afraid, act that way, and sin, giving them cause to disgrace me and taunt me.
14 Remember Tobiah and Sanballat, my God, for what they have done. Remember also Noadiah the prophetess and the rest of the prophets who were trying to frighten me.
15 The wall was completed on the twenty-fifth day of the month of Elul, in fifty-two days.
16 When all our enemies heard this, all the nations around us were afraid and lost confidence in themselves. They recognized that this work had been done by our God.
17 In those days, the nobles of Judah were sending many letters to Tobiah, and letters from Tobiah were coming to them.
18 For many in Judah were bound to him by oath, since he was the son-in-law of Shecaniah son of Arah; and his son Jehohanan had married the daughter of Meshullam son of Berechiah.
19 They also spoke to me about his good deeds and carried my words back to him. And Tobiah kept sending letters to frighten me.
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