Nehemiah 6:1-13 ▼

1 When Sanballat (strength), Tobiah (YHWH is good), Geshem (rain) 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—

2 Sanballat (strength) and Geshem (rain) sent me this message: “Come, let us meet together in one of the villages (in Kephirim) on the plain (in the valley) of Ono (vigorous).” But they were planning to harm me.

3 So 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⁺?”

4 Four times they sent me the same message, and each time I gave the same reply.

5 The fifth time, Sanballat (strength) sent me this same message by his young servant, who had in his hand an unsealed letter

6 that read: “It is reported among the nations—and Geshem \Gashmu/ 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,

7 and you have even appointed prophets in Jerusalem (city of peace) to proclaim on your behalf: ‘There is a king in Judah (praised).’ Soon these rumors will reach the ears of the king. So come, let us confer together.”

8 Then I sent him this reply: “There is nothing to these rumors you are spreading; you are inventing them in your own mind.”

9 For 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 \But now/, strengthen my hands.

10 Later, I went to the house of Shemaiah (heard by YHWH) son of Delaiah (YHWH has drawn), the son of Mehetabel (favored of God), who was confined to his house. He said: “Let us meet at the house of God {Elohim} inside the temple. Let us shut the temple doors because they are coming to kill you—by night they are coming to kill you!”

11 But 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!”

12 I realized that God {Elohim} had not sent him, but that he had uttered this prophecy against me because Tobiah (YHWH is good) and Sanballat (strength) had hired him.

13 He 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.