King James Version

1 And it happened when Sanballat, Tobiah, and Geshem the Arab, and the rest of our enemies heard that I had built the wall and that there was no breach left in it—even to that time I had not set up the doors in the gates. 2 And Sanballat and Geshem sent to me, saying, "Come, let us meet together in the villages of Ono." But they were planning to do me harm. 3 And I will send messengers to them saying, "I am doing a great work, and I cannot come down. Why should the work cease just as I am finishing it? I will go down to you." 4 And they sent to me this matter four times, and I answered them like this matter. 5 And Sanballat sent to me this same thing for the fifth time with an open letter in his hand. 6 It is written among the nations, it is heard, and they say: "You and the Jews think to rebel; therefore, you are building the wall, and you will be their king according to these words." 7 And you have also established prophets to call upon you in Jerusalem, saying, "A king is in Judah." And now the king will hear these words, and now let us consult together. 8 And I will send to you, saying, "These things that you are saying have not happened, for it is from your own heart that you are speaking." 9 For all of them are afraid of us, saying, "Their hands will weaken from the work and it will not be done." And now strengthen my hands. 10 And I came to the house of Shemaiah son of Deliah son of Mehetabel, and he was shut in, and he said, "Let us meet in the house of God, inside the temple, and let us close the doors of the temple, for they are coming to kill you, and at night they are coming to kill you." 11 And I said, "The man like me will flee, and who like me will come to the temple, and I shall not go in and live." 12 And I recognized, and behold, God has not sent him, for the prophecy spoke against me, and Tobiah and Sanballat have hired him. 13 For the sake of being drunk, he will be afraid, and I will do so, and I have sinned, and it will be to them for a bad name so that they may reproach me. 14 Remember, O God, my good deeds and those of Sanballat, as well as that of the prophetess Noadiah and the rest of the prophets who were trying to intimidate me. 15 And the wall was completed on the twenty-fifth of Elul in fifty-two days. 16 And it came to pass, when all our enemies heard, and all the nations that were around us saw, they fell greatly in their eyes, and they knew that from our God this work was done. 17 Also in those days, the many letters of Judah were going to Toviah and what was for Toviah was coming to them. 18 For many in Judah are bound by oath, for he is a husband to Shecaniah, son of Arah, and Jehohanan, his son, took the daughter of Meshullam, son of Berechiah. 19 Also, my good deeds were being said before me, and my words were bringing forth letters that Toviya sent to me in order to scare me.