The Enemy’s Plot

1Now when it was reported to Sanballat, Tobiah, Geshem the Arab, and to the rest of our enemies that I had rebuilt the wall, and that no breach was left in it, although at that time I had not installed the doors in the gates, 2Sanballat and Geshem sent a message to me, saying, “Come, let’s meet together [a]at Chephirim in the plain of Ono.” But they were plotting to [b]harm me. 3So I sent messengers to them, saying, “I am doing a great work and am unable to come down. Why should the work stop while I leave it and come down to you?” 4Then they sent messages to me four times worded in this way, and I answered them with the same wording. 5Then Sanballat sent his servant to me in the same way a fifth time with an open letter in his hand. 6In it was written: “It is reported among the nations, and [c]Gashmu says, that you and the Jews intend to rebel; for that reason you are rebuilding the wall. And you are to be their king, according to these reports. 7You have also appointed prophets to proclaim in Jerusalem concerning [d]you, ‘A king is in Judah!’ And now it will be reported to the king according to these reports. So come now, let’s consult together.” 8Then I sent a message to him saying, “Nothing like these things that you are saying has been done, but you are inventing them [e]in your own mind.” 9For all of them were trying to frighten us, [f]thinking, “[g]They will become discouraged with the work and it will not be done.” But now, God, strengthen my hands.

10When I entered the house of Shemaiah the son of Delaiah, son of Mehetabel, who was confined at home, he said, “Let’s meet together in the house of God, within the temple, and let’s close the doors of the temple, for they are coming to kill you, and they are coming to kill you at night.” 11But I said, “Should a man like me flee? And who is there like me who would go into the temple [h]to save his own life? I will not go in.” 12Then I realized [i]that God certainly had not sent him, but he uttered his prophecy against me because Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him. 13He was hired for this reason, that I would become frightened and act accordingly and sin, so that they might have an evil report in order that they could taunt me. 14Remember, my God, Tobiah and Sanballat in accordance with these works of theirs, and also Noadiah the prophetess and the rest of the prophets, who were trying to frighten me.

The Wall Is Finished

15So the wall was completed on the twenty-fifth of the month Elul, in fifty-two days. 16When all our enemies heard about it, and all the nations surrounding us saw it, they [j]lost their confidence; for they realized that this work had been accomplished [k]with the help of our God. 17Also in those days many letters went from the nobles of Judah to Tobiah, and [l]Tobiah’s letters came to them. 18For many in Judah were bound by oath to him because he was the son-in-law of Shecaniah the son of Arah, and his son Jehohanan had married the daughter of Meshullam the son of Berechiah. 19Moreover, they were speaking about his good deeds in my presence, and were reporting my words to him. Then Tobiah sent letters to frighten me.