Nehemiah 6

1 Now it came to pass, when it was reported to Sanballat and Tobiah, and to Geshem the Arabian, and unto the rest of our enemies, that I had builded the wall, and that there was no breach left therein (though even unto that time I had not set up the doors in the gates),

Now when Sanballat, Tobiah, and Geshem the Arabian and the rest of our enemies heard that I had rebuilt the wall and that there were no longer any sections left broken open, although I had not yet set up the doors in the gates,

2 that Sanballat and Geshem sent unto me, saying, Come, let us meet together in [one of] the villages in the plain of Ono. But they thought to do me mischief.

Sanballat and Geshem sent to me saying, “Come, let us meet together somewhere in the plain of Ono.” But they intended to do harm to me.

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?

I sent messengers to them, saying, “I am doing a great work, and I cannot come down. Why should the work stop while I leave it and come down to you?”

4 And they sent unto me four times after this sort; and I answered them after the same manner.

They sent me the same message four times, and I answered them the same way each time.

5 Then sent Sanballat his servant unto me in like manner the fifth time with an open letter in his hand,

Sanballat sent his servant to me in the same way the fifth time, with an open letter in his hand.

6 wherein was written, It is reported among the nations, and Gashmu saith it, that thou and the Jews think to rebel; for which cause thou art building the wall: and thou wouldest be their king, according to these words.

In it was written, “It is reported among the nations, and Geshem also says it, that you and the Jews are planning to rebel, for that is why you are rebuilding the wall. From what these reports say, you are about to become their king.

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.

You have also appointed prophets to make this proclamation about you in Jerusalem, saying, 'There is a king in Judah!' You can be sure the king will hear these reports. Therefore come, let us speak with one another.”

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.

Then I sent word to him saying, “No such things have occurred as you say, for within your heart you invented them.”

9 For they all would have made us afraid, saying, Their hands shall be weakened from the work, that it be not done. But now, [O God], strengthen thou my hands.

For they all wanted to make us afraid, thinking, “They will drop their hands from doing the work, and it will not be done.” But now, God, please strengthen my hands.

10 And I went unto the house of Shemaiah the son of Delaiah the son of Mehetabel, 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.

I went to the house of Shemaiah son of Delaiah son of Mehetabel, who was confined in his home. He said, “Let us meet together in the house of God, inside the temple, and let us close the doors of the temple, for they are coming to kill you. At night they are coming to kill you.”

11 And I said, Should such a man as I flee? and who is there, that, being such as I, would go into the temple to save his life? I will not go in.

I replied, “Would a man like me run away? Would a man like me go into the temple just so he could save his own life? I will not go in!”

12 And I discerned, and, lo, God had not sent him; but he pronounced this prophecy against me: and Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him.

I realized that it was not God who sent him, but that he had prophesied against me. Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him.

13 For this cause 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.

They hired him to make me afraid, so that I might do what he said and sin, so they could give me a bad name in order to humiliate me.

14 Remember, O my God, Tobiah and Sanballat according to these their works, and also the prophetess Noadiah, and the rest of the prophets, that would have put me in fear.

Call to mind Tobiah and Sanballat, my God, and all that they did. Also call to mind the prophetess Noadiah and the rest of the prophets who tried to make me be afraid.

15 So the wall was finished in the twenty and fifth [day] of [the month] Elul, in fifty and two days.

So the wall was finished on the twenty-fifth day of the month of Elul, after fifty-two days.

16 And it came to pass, when all our enemies heard [thereof], that all the nations that were about us feared, and were much cast down in their own eyes; for they perceived that this work was wrought of our God.

When all our enemies heard of it, all the nations around us, they became afraid and they fell greatly in their own eyes. For they knew the work was done with the help of our God.

17 Moreover in those days the nobles of Judah sent many letters unto Tobiah, and [the letters] of Tobiah came unto them.

At this time the nobles of Judah sent many letters to Tobiah, and Tobiah's letters came to them.

18 For there were many in Judah sworn unto him, because he was the son-in-law of Shecaniah the son of Arah; and his son Jehohanan had taken the daughter of Meshullam the son of Berechiah to wife.

For there were many in Judah who were bound by an oath to him, because he was the son-in-law of Shecaniah son of Arah. His son Jehohanan had taken as his wife the daughter of Meshullam son of Berechiah.

19 Also they spake of his good deeds before me, and reported my words to him. [And] Tobiah sent letters to put me in fear.

They also spoke to me about his good deeds and reported my words back to him. Letters were sent to me from Tobiah to frighten me.