Opposition to the Rebuilding Efforts Continues

6 When Sanballat, Tobiah, Geshem the Arab, and the rest of our enemies heard that I had rebuilt the wall and no breach remained in it (even though up to that time I had not positioned doors in the gates), ² Sanballat and Geshem sent word to me saying, “Come on! Let’s set up a time to meet together at Kephirim^[a] in the plain of Ono.” Now they intended to do me harm.

³ So I sent messengers to them saying, “I am engaged in^[b] an important work, and I am unable to come down. Why should the work come to a halt when I leave it to come down to you?” ⁴ They contacted^[c] me four times in this way, and I responded the same way each time.^[d]

⁵ The fifth time that Sanballat sent his assistant to me in this way, he had an open letter in his hand. ⁶ Written in it were the following words:

“Among the nations it is rumored^[e] (and Geshem^[f] has substantiated^[g] this) that you and the Jews have intentions of revolting, and for this reason you are building the wall. Furthermore, according to these rumors^[h] you are going to become their king. ⁷ You have also established prophets to announce^[i] in Jerusalem on your behalf, ‘We have a king in Judah!’ Now the king is going to hear about these rumors. So come on, let’s talk about this.”^[j]

⁸ I sent word back to him, “We are not engaged in these activities you are describing.^[k] All of this is a figment of your imagination.”^[l]

⁹ All of them were wanting^[m] to scare us, supposing, “Their hands will grow slack from the work, and it won’t get done.”

So now, strengthen my hands!^[n]