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.