¹⁵ So the wall was finished on the twenty-fifth day of the month of Elul.^[a] 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.