Nehemiah 6
6
Nehemiah’s Enemies
1#Ne 2:10; 2:19When Sanballat, Tobiah, Geshem the Arabian, and the rest of our enemies heard that I had rebuilt the wall and that there was not a gap in it (though at that time I had not erected the doors on the gates), 2#1Ch 8:12; Ps 37:12Sanballat and Geshem sent to me, saying, “Come, that we might meet together in one of the villages in the plain of Ono.”
But they planned to do evil to me. 3So I sent messengers to them, saying, “I am doing a great work, so I am not able to come down. Why should the work cease while I leave it and come down to you?” 4Four more times they sent for me like this, but I answered them the same way.
5Sanballat sent the same request a fifth time by his servant, but the letter was open in his hand. 6#Ne 2:19In it was written,
“It is reported among the nations, and Geshem confirms it, that you and the Jews are planning to rebel; consequently you are rebuilding the wall. According to these words, you are their king. 7You have also appointed prophets to preach on your behalf in Jerusalem, saying, ‘There is a king in Judah!’ According to these words, it will now be reported to the king. So come now and let us consult together.”
8#Job 13:4; Ps 52:2I sent him this response, saying, “Nothing like these reports that you are saying has occurred. From your own mind, you are inventing them.”
9#Ps 138:3Because they all wanted to frighten us, they thought, “They will pull their hands back from the work.” But that would never be done.
So now, O God, strengthen my hands.
10#Jer 36:5When I came to the house of Shemaiah the crippled son of Delaiah the son of Mehetabel, he said, “Let us meet together at the house of God, inside the temple, and then we can shut the temple doors. They are coming to kill you! Even tonight, they could come to kill you!”
11#Pr 28:1But I said, “Should a man like me flee? Who is there like me who would go into the temple to save his life? I would never go!” 12#Eze 13:22Then I perceived and saw that God had not sent him, but that he pronounced the prophecy against me, because Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him. 13#Ne 6:6; Jer 20:10He was hired for this reason: that I might become fearful, act accordingly, and sin. Then they would have an evil report by which they could reproach me.
14#Ne 13:29Remember, O my God, concerning Tobiah and Sanballat these deeds of theirs, as well as the prophetess Noadiah and the rest of the prophets who were trying to frighten me.
The Wall Completed
15#Ne 4:1–2The wall was finished on the twenty-fifth day of the month Elul, in fifty-two days. 16#Ne 2:10; 4:1When all our enemies heard it and all the surrounding nations saw it, they were tremendously humbled. They perceived that, because of our God, this work had been accomplished.
17Moreover in those days the nobles of Judah produced numerous letters in transit to Tobiah. Likewise, the letters of Tobiah came to them, 18#Ezr 2:5because so many in Judah were bound by oath to him since he was the son-in-law of Shekaniah the son of Arah, and his son Jehohanan had married the daughter of Meshullam the son of Berekiah. 19Also they reported his good deeds in front of me and reported my words to him. Tobiah sent letters to frighten me.
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Military Bible Association
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