“1 Now it came to pass, when Sanballat, and Tobiah, and Geshem the
Arabian, and the rest of our enemies, heard that I had builded the wall,
and [that] there was no breach left therein; (though at that time I had
not set up the doors upon the gates;) 2 That Sanballat and Geshem sent
unto me, saying, Come, let us meet together in [some one of] the
villages in the plain of Ono. But they thought to do me mischief. 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? 4 Yet they sent unto me four times after this sort;
and I answered them after the same manner. 5 Then sent Sanballat his
servant unto me in like manner the fifth time with an open letter in his
hand; 6 Wherein [was] written, It is reported among the heathen, and
Gashmu saith [it, that] thou and the Jews think to rebel: for which
cause thou buildest the wall, that thou mayest be their king, according
to these words. 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. 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. 9 For they all made us afraid, saying, Their hands
shall be weakened from the work, that it be not done. Now therefore, [O
God], strengthen my hands.”
“10 Afterward I came 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 will come to slay thee; yea, in the night will they
come to slay thee. 11 And 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. 12 And, lo, I perceived that God had not
sent him; but that he pronounced this prophecy against me: for Tobiah
and Sanballat had hired him. 13 Therefore [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. 14 My God, think thou upon
Tobiah and Sanballat according to these their works, and on the
prophetess Noadiah, and the rest of the prophets, that would have put me
in fear.”
“15 So the wall was finished in the twenty and fifth [day] of [the
month] Elul, in fifty and two days. 16 And it came to pass, that when
all our enemies heard [thereof], and all the heathen that [were] about
us saw [these things], they were much cast down in their own eyes: for
they perceived that this work was wrought 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. 18 For [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. 19 Also they reported his good deeds before me, and uttered
my words to him. [And] Tobiah sent letters to put me in fear.” (Nehemiah
6:1-19 AV)
© 2011-2018 Kathy L. McFarland. All Rights Reserved Privacy Policy