Nehemiah 6
6
Plots against Nehemiah
1Sanballat, Tobiah, Geshem, and the rest of our enemies heard that we had finished building the wall and that there were no gaps left in it, although we still had not set up the gates in the gateways. 2So Sanballat and Geshem sent me a message, suggesting that I meet with them in one of the villages in the Plain of Ono. This was a trick of theirs to try to harm me. 3I sent messengers to say to them, “I am doing important work and can't go down there. I am not going to let the work stop just to go and see you.”
4They sent me the same message four times, and each time I sent them the same reply.
5Then Sanballat sent one of his servants to me with a fifth message, this one in the form of an unsealed letter.#6.5 unsealed letter: Leaving a letter unsealed was a deliberate way of making certain that its contents would become widely known. 6It read:
“Geshem tells me that a rumour is going round among the neighbouring peoples that you and the Jewish people intend to revolt and that this is why you are rebuilding the wall. He also says you plan to make yourself king 7and that you have arranged for some prophets to proclaim in Jerusalem that you are the king of Judah. His Majesty is certain to hear about this, so I suggest that you and I meet to talk the situation over.”
8I sent a reply to him: “Nothing of what you are saying is true. You have made it all up yourself.”
9They were trying to frighten us into stopping work. I prayed, “But now, God, make me strong!”
10About this time I went to visit Shemaiah, the son of Delaiah and grandson of Mehetabel, who was unable to leave his house. He said to me, “You and I must go and hide together in the Holy Place of the Temple and lock the doors, because they are coming to kill you. Any night now they will come to kill you.”
11I answered, “I'm not the kind of person that runs and hides. Do you think I would try to save my life by hiding in the Temple? I won't do it.”
12When I thought it over, I realized that God had not spoken to Shemaiah, but that Tobiah and Sanballat had bribed him to give me this warning. 13They hired him to frighten me into sinning, so that they could ruin my reputation and humiliate me.
14I prayed, “God, remember what Tobiah and Sanballat have done and punish them. Remember that woman Noadiah and all the other prophets who tried to frighten me.”
The Conclusion of the Work
15After 52 days of work the entire wall was finished on the 25th day of the month of Elul. 16When our enemies in the surrounding nations heard this, they realized that they had lost face, since everyone knew that the work had been done with God's help.
17During all this time the Jewish leaders had been in correspondence with Tobiah. 18Many people in Judah were on his side because of his Jewish father-in-law, Shecaniah son of Arah. In addition, his son Jehohanan had married the daughter of Meshullam son of Berechiah. 19People would talk in front of me about all the good deeds Tobiah had done and would tell him everything I said. And he kept sending me letters to try to frighten me.
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Nehemiah 6: GNBDK
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Good News Bible with Deuterocanonicals/Apocrypha. Scripture taken from the Good News Bible (r) (Today's English Version Second Edition, UK/British Edition). Copyright © 1992 British & Foreign Bible Society. Used by permission.
2 Esdras (Nehemias) 6
6
1And it came to pass, when Sanaballat, and Tobias, and Gossem 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 in the gates):
2Sanaballat and Gossem sent to me, saying: Come, and let us make a league together in the villages, in the plain of Ono. But they thought to do me mischief.
3And I sent messengers to them, saying: I am doing a great work, and I cannot come down, lest it be neglected whilst I come and go down to you.
4And they sent to me according to this word, four times: and I answered them after the same manner.
5And Sanaballat sent his servant to me the fifth time according to the former word; and he had a letter in his hand written in this manner:
6It is reported amongst the Gentiles, and Gossem hath said it, that thou and the Jews think to rebel; and therefore thou buildest the wall and hast a mind to set thyself king over them. For which end
7Thou hast also set up prophets, to preach of thee at Jerusalem, saying: There is a king in Judea. The king will hear of these things. Therefore come now, that we may take counsel together.
8And I sent to them, saying: There is no such thing done as thou sayest: but thou feignest these things out of thy own heart.
9For all these men thought to frighten us, thinking that our hands would cease from the work, and that we would leave off. Wherefore I strengthened my hands the more.
10And I went into the house of Samaia the son of Delaia, the son of Metabeel, privately. And he said: Let us consult together in the house of God in the midst of the temple. And let us shut the doors of the temple; for they will come to kill thee, and in the night they will come to slay thee.
11And 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.
12And I understood that God had not sent him: but that he had spoken to me as if he had been prophesying; and Tobias, and Sanaballat had hired him.
13For he had taken money, that I being afraid should do this thing and sin; and they might have some evil to upbraid me withal.
14Remember me, O Lord, for Tobias and Sanaballat, according to their works of this kind: and Noadias the prophet, and the rest of the prophets that would have put me in fear.
15But the wall was finished the five and twentieth day of the month of Elul, in two and fifty days.
16And it came to pass, when all our enemies heard of it, that all nations which were round about us were afraid: and were cast down within themselves: for they perceived that this work was the work of God.
17Moreover in those days many letters were sent by the principal men of the Jews to Tobias, and from Tobias there came letters to them.
18For there were many in Judea sworn to him: because he was the son-in-law of Sechenias the son of Area, and Johanan his son had taken to wife the daughter of Mosollam the son of Barachias.
19And they praised him also before me, and they related my words to him. And Tobias sent letters to put me in fear.
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An historical text maintained by the British and Foreign Bible Society.