Further Opposition to the Rebuilding

When word came to Sanballat, Tobiah,(A) Geshem(B) the Arab and the rest of our enemies that I had rebuilt the wall and not a gap was left in it—though up to that time I had not set the doors in the gates— Sanballat and Geshem sent me this message: “Come, let us meet together in one of the villages[a] on the plain of Ono.(C)

But they were scheming to harm me; so I sent messengers to them with this reply: “I am carrying on a great project and cannot go down. Why should the work stop while I leave it and go down to you?” Four times they sent me the same message, and each time I gave them the same answer.

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Footnotes

  1. Nehemiah 6:2 Or in Kephirim

Conspiracy Against Nehemiah

Now when (A)Sanballat and Tobiah and (B)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 ((C)although up to that time I had not set up the doors in the gates), Sanballat and Geshem sent to me, saying, “Come and let us meet together at Hakkephirim in the plain of (D)Ono.” But they intended to do me harm. And I sent messengers to them, saying, “I am doing a great work and I cannot come down. Why should the work stop while I leave it and come down to you?” And they sent to me four times in this way, and I answered them in the same manner.

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The Enemy’s Plot

Now when it was reported to Sanballat, Tobiah, Geshem the Arab, and to the rest of our enemies that I had rebuilt the wall, and that no breach was left in it, (A)although at that time I had not installed the doors in the gates, Sanballat and Geshem sent a message to me, saying, “Come, let’s meet together [a]at Chephirim in the plain of (B)Ono.” But they were plotting to [b]harm me. So I sent messengers to them, saying, “I am doing a great work and am unable to come down. Why should the work stop while I leave it and come down to you?” Then they sent messages to me four times worded in this way, and I answered them with the same wording.

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Footnotes

  1. Nehemiah 6:2 LXX in the villages in
  2. Nehemiah 6:2 Lit do evil to me

Nehemiah avoids his enemies

Now when Sanballat, Tobiah, Geshem the Arab, and the rest of our enemies heard that I had rebuilt the wall and that there were no gaps left in it (although I hadn’t yet hung the doors in the gates), Sanballat and Geshem sent me this message: “Come, let’s meet together in one of the villages[a] in the plain of Ono.”

But they wanted to harm me, so I sent messengers to tell them, “I’m doing important work, so I can’t come down. Why should the work stop while I leave it to come down to you?”

They sent me a message like this four times, and every time I gave them a similar reply.

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Footnotes

  1. Nehemiah 6:2 LXX, Vulg; MT at Hakkephirim

Plots against Nehemiah

Sanballat, Tobiah, Geshem, and our other enemies learned that I had completely rebuilt the wall. All I lacked was hanging the doors in the gates. Then Sanballat and Geshem sent a message, asking me to meet with them in one of the villages in Ono Valley. I knew they were planning to harm me in some way. So I sent messengers to tell them, “My work is too important to stop now and go there. I can't afford to slow down the work just to visit with you.” They invited me four times, but each time I refused to go.

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