| Christian Standard Bible | Berean Study Bible |
| 1When Sanballat, Tobiah, Geshem the Arab, and the rest of our enemies heard that I had rebuilt the wall and that no gap was left in it--though at that time I had not installed the doors in the city gates-- | 1When Sanballat, Tobiah, Geshem the Arab, and the rest of our enemies heard that I had rebuilt the wall and not a gap was left—though to that time I had not yet installed the doors in the gates— |
| 2Sanballat and Geshem sent me a message: "Come, let's meet together in the villages of the Ono Valley." They were planning to harm me. | 2Sanballat and Geshem sent me this message: “Come, let us meet together in one of the villages on the plain of Ono.” But they were planning to harm me. |
| 3So I sent messengers to them, saying, "I am doing important work and cannot come down. Why should the work cease while I leave it and go down to you?" | 3So I sent messengers to them, saying, “I am doing a great work and cannot come down. Why should the work stop while I leave it to go down to you?” |
| 4Four times they sent me the same proposal, and I gave them the same reply. | 4Four times they sent me the same message, and each time I gave the same reply. |
| 5Sanballat sent me this same message a fifth time by his aide, who had an open letter in his hand. | 5The fifth time, Sanballat sent me this same message by his young servant, who had in his hand an unsealed letter |
| 6In it was written: It is reported among the nations--and Geshem agrees--that you and the Jews plan to rebel. This is the reason you are building the wall. According to these reports, you are to become their king | 6that read: “It is reported among the nations—and Geshem agrees—that you and the Jews are plotting to revolt, and this is why you are building the wall. According to these reports, you are to become their king, |
| 7and have even set up the prophets in Jerusalem to proclaim on your behalf: "There is a king in Judah." These rumors will be heard by the king. So come, let's confer together. | 7and you have even appointed prophets in Jerusalem to proclaim on your behalf: ‘There is a king in Judah.’ Soon these rumors will reach the ears of the king. So come, let us confer together.” |
| 8Then I replied to him, "There is nothing to these rumors you are spreading; you are inventing them in your own mind." | 8Then I sent him this reply: “There is nothing to these rumors you are spreading; you are inventing them in your own mind.” |
| 9For they were all trying to intimidate us, saying, "They will drop their hands from the work, and it will never be finished." But now, my God, strengthen my hands. | 9For they were all trying to frighten us, saying, “Their hands will be weakened in the work, and it will never be finished.” But now, my God, strengthen my hands. |
| 10I went to the house of Shemaiah son of Delaiah, son of Mehetabel, who was restricted to his house. He said: Let's meet at the house of God, inside the temple. Let's shut the temple doors because they're coming to kill you. They're coming to kill you tonight! | 10Later, I went to the house of Shemaiah son of Delaiah, the son of Mehetabel, who was confined to his house. He said: “Let us meet at the house of God inside the temple. Let us shut the temple doors because they are coming to kill you—by night they are coming to kill you!” |
| 11But I said, "Should a man like me run away? How can someone like me enter the temple and live? I will not go." | 11But I replied, “Should a man like me run away? Should one like me go into the temple to save his own life? I will not go!” |
| 12I realized that God had not sent him, because of the prophecy he spoke against me. Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him. | 12I realized that God had not sent him, but that he had uttered this prophecy against me because Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him. |
| 13He was hired, so that I would be intimidated, do as he suggested, sin, and get a bad reputation, in order that they could discredit me. | 13He had been hired to intimidate me so that I would sin by doing as he suggested, so they could give me a bad name in order to discredit me. |
| 14My God, remember Tobiah and Sanballat for what they have done, and also the prophetess Noadiah and the other prophets who wanted to intimidate me. | 14O my God, remember Tobiah and Sanballat for what they have done, and also Noadiah the prophetess and the other prophets who tried to intimidate me. |
| 15The wall was completed in fifty-two days, on the twenty-fifth day of the month Elul. | 15So the wall was completed in fifty-two days, on the twenty-fifth of Elul. |
| 16When all our enemies heard this, all the surrounding nations were intimidated and lost their confidence, for they realized that this task had been accomplished by our God. | 16When all our enemies heard about this, all the surrounding nations were afraid and disheartened, for they realized that this task had been accomplished by our God. |
| 17During those days, the nobles of Judah sent many letters to Tobiah, and Tobiah's letters came to them. | 17Also in those days, the nobles of Judah sent many letters to Tobiah, and Tobiah’s letters came back to them. |
| 18For many in Judah were bound by oath to him, since he was a son-in-law of Shecaniah son of Arah, and his son Jehohanan had married the daughter of Meshullam son of Berechiah. | 18For many in Judah were bound by oath to him, since he was a son-in-law of Shecaniah son of Arah, and his son Jehohanan had married the daughter of Meshullam son of Berechiah. |
| 19These nobles kept mentioning Tobiah's good deeds to me, and they reported my words to him. And Tobiah sent letters to intimidate me. | 19Moreover, these nobles kept reporting to me Tobiah’s good deeds, and they relayed my words to him. And Tobiah sent letters to intimidate me. |
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