Nehemiah 6
6
Nehemiah 6
1¶ Now it came to pass when Sanballat and Tobiah and Geshem, the Arabian, and the rest of our enemies, heard that I had built the wall and that there was no breach left in it (though at that time I had not set up the doors upon the gates),
2that Sanballat and Geshem sent unto me, saying, Come, let us meet together in one of the villages in the plain of Ono. But they had thought to do me evil.
3And 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?
4Yet they sent unto me four times after this sort, and I answered them after the same manner.
5Then Sanballat sent his slave to say the same thing for the fifth time with an open letter in his hand,
6in which was written, It is reported among the Gentiles, and Gashmu saith it, that thou and the Jews think to rebel, for which cause thou dost build the wall, that thou may be their king, according to these words.
7And thou hast also appointed prophets to preach of thee at Jerusalem, saying, There is a king in Judah! And now these words shall be heard by the king. Come now, therefore, and let us take counsel together.
8Then I sent unto him, saying, There are no such things done as thou sayest, but thou dost feign them out of thine own heart.
9For they all made us afraid, saying, Their hands shall be weakened from the work, that it not be done. Now, therefore, O God, strengthen my hands.
10¶ Afterward I came in secret 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 are coming to slay thee; yea, tonight they will come to slay thee.
11Then I said, Should such a man as I flee? And who is there as I who could go into the temple and live? I will not go in.
12And I perceived that God had not sent him, but that he pronounced this prophecy against me, for Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him.
13For he was bribed to make me be thus afraid and sin and that they might have matter for an evil report, that they might reproach me.
14My God, think thou upon Tobiah and Sanballat according to these their works and on the prophetess Noadiah and the rest of the prophets, that did things to put me in fear.
15¶ So the wall was finished the twenty-fifth of Elul, in fifty-two days.
16And it came to pass, that when all our enemies heard of it, all the Gentiles that were about us feared, and they were much cast down in their own eyes, and they knew that this work was wrought of our God.
17Likewise, in those days the principals of Judah sent many letters unto Tobiah, and the letters of Tobiah came unto them.
18For there were many in Judah sworn unto him, because he was the son-in-law of Shechaniah, the son of Arah; and his son Johanan had taken the daughter of Meshullam, the son of Berechiah.
19They also reported his good deeds before me and uttered my words to him. And Tobiah sent letters to put me in fear.
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The Jubilee Bible 2000 (JUB) by Ransom Press International
Nehemiah 6
6
Attempts to Discourage the Builders
1When Sanballat, Tobiah, Geshem the Arab, and the rest of our enemies#Neh 2:10,19 heard that I had rebuilt the wall and that no gap was left in it#Neh 4:6–7 — though at that time I had not installed the doors in the city gates#Neh 3:1 — 2Sanballat and Geshem#Neh 2:10 sent me a message: “Come, let’s meet together in the villages of#6:2 Or together at Kephirim in the Ono Valley.”#1Ch 8:12 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?” 4Four times they sent me the same proposal, and I gave them the same reply.
5Sanballat#Neh 2:10 sent me this same message a fifth time by his aide, who had an open letter in his hand. 6In it was written:
It is reported among the nations — and Geshem#6:6 Lit Gashmu#Neh 2:19 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 7and have even set up the prophets in Jerusalem to proclaim on your behalf, “There is a king in Judah.”#Zch 9:9 These rumors will be heard by the king. So come, let’s confer together.
8Then I replied to him, “There is nothing to these rumors you are spreading; you are inventing them in your own mind.”#Jb 13:4; Ps 52:2 9For they were all trying to intimidate#Ezr 3:3 us, saying, “They will drop their hands from#6:9 Or will give up on the work,#Ezr 4:4 and it will never be finished.”
But now, my God, strengthen my hands.#Neh 5:19; 13:22; Ps 138:3
Attempts to Intimidate Nehemiah
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!#6:10 Or by night
11But I said, “Should a man like me run away? How can someone like me enter the temple and live?#Nm 18:7 I will not go.” 12I realized that God had not sent him, because of the prophecy he spoke against me. Tobiah and Sanballat#Neh 2:10; 6:1 had hired him. 13He was hired, so that I would be intimidated,#Ezr 3:3 do as he suggested, sin, and get a bad reputation, in order that they could discredit me.
14My God, remember#Neh 13:29 Tobiah and Sanballat for what they have done, and also the prophetess Noadiah#Rv 2:20 and the other prophets who wanted to intimidate me.
The Wall Completed
15The wall was completed#Neh 4:1,7; 6:1 in fifty-two days, on the twenty-fifth day of the month Elul.#Ezr 6:15 16When all our enemies#Neh 2:10; 6:1 heard this, all the surrounding nations were intimidated#Ezr 3:3 and lost their confidence,#6:16 Lit and fell greatly in their eyes for they realized that this task had been accomplished by our God.#Ex 14:25
17During those days, the nobles of Judah sent many letters to Tobiah,#Neh 6:1; 13:4–5,7–8 and Tobiah’s letters came to them. 18For many in Judah were bound by oath#Ezr 10:5 to him, since he was a son-in-law of Shecaniah son of Arah, and his son Jehohanan had married the daughter of Meshullam#Neh 3:4,30 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#Neh 6:9,13 me.
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