Nehemiah 6

1

Sanballat’s Conspiracy

WhenH834 SanballatH5571, TobiahH2900, GeshemH1654 the ArabH6163, and the restH3499 of our enemiesH341 heardH8085 thatH3588 I had rebuiltH1129 the wallH2346 and notH3808 a gapH6556 was leftH3498—thoughH1571 toH5704 thatH1931 timeH6256 I had not yetH3808 installedH5975 the doorsH1817 in the gatesH8179— 2SanballatH5571 and GeshemH1654H413 sent meH7971 this messageH559: “ComeH1980, let us meetH3259 togetherH3162 in one of the villagesH37151 on the plainH12372 of OnoH207.”

But theyH1992 were planningH2803 to harmH6213H7451 me.

3So I sentH7971 messengersH4397 to themH5921, sayingH559, “IH589 am doingH6213 a greatH1419 workH4399 and cannotH3808H3201 come downH3381. WhyH4100 should the workH4399 stopH7673 whileH834 I leave itH7503 to go downH3381 to youH413?”

4FourH702 timesH6471 they sent meH7971H413 the sameH2088 messageH1697, and each time I gaveH7725 the sameH2088 replyH1697.

5The fifthH2549 timeH6471, SanballatH5571 sent meH7971H413 thisH2088 same messageH1697 by his young servantH5288, who had in his handH3027 an unsealedH6605 letterH107 6that readH3789:

“It is reportedH8085 among the nationsH1471—and GeshemH16543 agreesH559—that youH859 and the JewsH3064 are plottingH2803 to revoltH4775, and this is whyH5921H3651 youH859 are buildingH1129 the wallH2346. According to theseH428 reportsH1697, youH859 are to becomeH1933 their kingH4428, 7and you have evenH1571 appointedH5975 prophetsH5030 in JerusalemH3389H559 to proclaimH7121 on your behalfH5921: ‘There is a kingH4428 in JudahH3063.’ SoonH6258 theseH428 rumorsH1697 will reach the earsH8085 of the kingH4428. SoH6258 comeH1980, let us conferH3289 togetherH3162.”

8Then I sentH7971 himH413 this replyH559: “There isH1961 nothingH3808 to theseH428 rumorsH1697 youH859 are spreadingH559H3588; youH859 are inventing themH908 in your own mindH3820.”

9ForH3588 they were allH3605 trying to frightenH3372 usH853, sayingH559, “Their handsH3027 will be weakenedH7503 inH4480 the workH4399, and it will neverH3808 be finishedH6213.”

But now, my GodH6258,4 strengthenH2388 my handsH3027.

10Later, IH589 wentH935 to the houseH1004 of ShemaiahH8098 sonH1121 of DelaiahH1806, the sonH1121 of MehetabelH4105, whoH1931 was confinedH6113 to his house. He saidH559:

11But I repliedH559, “Should a manH376 like meH3644 run awayH1272? ShouldH4310 one like meH3644 goH935 intoH413 the templeH1964 to save his own lifeH2421? I will notH3808 goH935!”

12I realizedH5234H2009 that GodH430 had notH3808 sent himH7971, but that he had utteredH1696 this prophecyH5016 against meH5921 becauseH3588 TobiahH2900 and SanballatH5571 had hired himH7936. 13HeH1931 had been hiredH7936 toH4616 intimidate meH3372 so that I would sinH2398 by doingH6213 as he suggestedH3651, so they could give meH1961 a badH7451 nameH8034 in order toH4616 discredit meH2778.

14O my GodH430, rememberH2142 TobiahH2900 and SanballatH5571 for what they have doneH4639H428, and alsoH1571 NoadiahH5129 the prophetessH5031 and the otherH3499 prophetsH5030 whoH834H1961 tried to intimidate meH3372.

Completion of the Wall

15So the wallH2346 was completedH7999 in fifty-twoH2572H8147 daysH3117, on the twenty-fifthH6242H2568 of ElulH435.5 16WhenH834 allH3605 our enemiesH341H3372 heard about thisH8085, allH3605 the surroundingH5439 nationsH1471 were afraidH834 and disheartenedH5307H3966, for they realizedH5869H3045 thatH3588 thisH2063 taskH4399 had been accomplishedH6213 byH854 our GodH430.

17AlsoH1571 in thoseH1992 daysH3117, the noblesH2715 of JudahH3063 sent manyH7235 lettersH107H1980 toH5921 TobiahH2900, and Tobiah’sH2900 lettersH834 kept comingH935 to themH413. 18ForH3588 manyH7227 in JudahH3063 were boundH1167 by oathH7621 to him, sinceH3588 heH1931 was a son-in-lawH2860 of ShecaniahH7935 sonH1121 of ArahH733, and his sonH1121 JehohananH3076 had marriedH3947 the daughterH1323 of MeshullamH4918 sonH1121 of BerechiahH1296.

19MoreoverH1571, these nobles keptH1961 reportingH559 to meH6440 Tobiah’s good deedsH2896, and they relayedH3318 my wordsH1697 to himH1961. And TobiahH2900 sentH7971 lettersH107 to intimidate meH3372.