Nehemiah 6
Holman Christian Standard Bible
Attempts to Discourage the Builders
6 When Sanballat, Tobiah, Geshem the Arab, and the rest of our enemies(A) heard that I had rebuilt the wall and that no gap was left in it(B)—though at that time I had not installed the doors in the gates(C)— 2 Sanballat and Geshem(D) sent me a message: “Come, let’s meet together in the villages of[a] the Ono Valley.”(E) But they were planning to harm me.
3 So I sent messengers to them, saying, “I am doing a great work and cannot come down. Why should the work cease while I leave it and go down to you?” 4 Four times they sent me the same proposal, and I gave them the same reply.
5 Sanballat(F) sent me this same message a fifth time by his aide, who had an open letter in his hand. 6 In it was written:
It is reported among the nations—and Geshem[b](G) agrees—that you and the Jews plan to rebel. This is the reason you are building the wall. According to these reports, you are to become their king 7 and have even set up the prophets in Jerusalem to proclaim on your behalf: “There is a king in Judah.”(H) These rumors will be heard by the king. So come, let’s confer together.
8 Then I replied to him, “There is nothing to these rumors you are spreading; you are inventing them in your own mind.”(I) 9 For they were all trying to intimidate(J) us, saying, “They will become discouraged[c] in the work,(K) and it will never be finished.”
But now, my God, strengthen me.[d](L)
Attempts to Intimidate Nehemiah
10 I went to the house of Shemaiah son of Delaiah, son of Mehetabel, who was restricted to his house. He said:
Let us meet at the house of God
inside the temple.
Let us shut the temple doors
because they are coming to kill you.
They are coming to kill you tonight![e]
11 But I said, “Should a man like me run away? How can I enter the temple and live?(M) I will not go.” 12 I realized that God had not sent him, because of the prophecy he spoke against me. Tobiah and Sanballat(N) had hired him. 13 He was hired, so that I would be intimidated,(O) do as he suggested, sin, and get a bad reputation, in order that they could discredit me.
14 My God, remember(P) Tobiah and Sanballat for what they have done, and also Noadiah the prophetess(Q) and the other prophets who wanted to intimidate me.
The Wall Completed
15 The wall was completed(R) in 52 days, on the twenty-fifth day of the month Elul.(S) 16 When all our enemies(T) heard this, all the surrounding nations were intimidated(U) and lost their confidence,[f] for they realized that this task had been accomplished by our God.(V)
17 During those days, the nobles of Judah sent many letters to Tobiah,(W) and Tobiah’s letters came to them. 18 For many in Judah were bound by oath(X) to him, since he was a son-in-law of Shecaniah son of Arah, and his son Jehohanan had married the daughter of Meshullam(Y) son of Berechiah. 19 These nobles kept mentioning Tobiah’s good deeds to me, and they reported my words to him. And Tobiah sent letters to intimidate(Z) me.
Footnotes
- Nehemiah 6:2 Or together at Kephirim in
- Nehemiah 6:6 Lit Gashmu
- Nehemiah 6:9 Lit saying, “Their hands will fail
- Nehemiah 6:9 Lit my hands
- Nehemiah 6:10 Or by night
- Nehemiah 6:16 Lit and fell greatly in their eyes
Nehemiah 6
Common English Bible
Nehemiah avoids his enemies
6 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), 2 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, 3 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?”
4 They sent me a message like this four times, and every time I gave them a similar reply. 5 But the fifth time, Sanballat sent his servant to me in the same way, except that now he carried an open letter. 6 It stated:
It is reported among the nations and confirmed by Geshem[b] that you and the Jews intend to rebel. This is why you are rebuilding the wall. According to these reports, you intend to become their king. 7 You have also appointed prophets to make this announcement about you in Jerusalem: There is a king in Judah! Now, the king will hear of these reports, so come; let’s talk together.
8 So I sent him this reply: “Nothing that you say has happened. You are simply inventing this.”
9 All of them were trying to make us afraid, saying, “They will be discouraged, and the work won’t get finished.” But now, God, strengthen me!
10 Later I went to see Shemaiah, Delaiah’s son and Mehetabel’s grandson, who was confined to his house, and he said:
“Let’s meet together in God’s house,
inside the temple itself.
Let’s shut the doors of the temple,
for they are coming to kill you;
they are coming to kill you tonight!”
11 But I replied, “Should someone like me run away? Who like me would go into the temple to save his life? I won’t go in!” 12 Then I realized that God hadn’t sent him at all but that he spoke this prophecy against me because Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him. 13 He was hired to frighten me and to make me sin by acting in this way. Then they could give me a bad name and discredit me. 14 My God, remember these deeds of Tobiah and Sanballat! Also remember Noadiah the prophetess and the rest of the prophets who have been trying to frighten me.
15 So the wall was finished on the twenty-fifth day of the month of Elul.[c] It took fifty-two days. 16 When our enemies heard about this, all of the nations around us were afraid and their confidence was greatly shaken. They knew that this work was completed with the help of our God.
17 In addition, in those days the officials of Judah sent many letters to Tobiah, and Tobiah’s letters were coming to them. 18 Many in Judah were bound to him by solemn pledge because he was the son-in-law of Shecaniah, Arah’s son, and his son Jehohanan had married the daughter of Meshullam, Berechiah’s son. 19 They also kept talking about his good deeds in my presence and then reported back to him what I said. In addition, Tobiah sent letters to intimidate me.
Footnotes
- Nehemiah 6:2 LXX, Vulg; MT at Hakkephirim
- Nehemiah 6:6 Or Gashmu
- Nehemiah 6:15 August–September
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