Nehemiah 6 · נחמיה

Now it came to pass, when Sanvallat, and Toviyya, and Geshem the ῾Arvian, and the rest of our enemies, heard that I had built the wall, and that there was no breach left in it; (though at that time I had not set up the doors upon the gates;)

then Sanvallat and Geshem sent to me, saying, Come, let us meet together in one of the villages in the plain of Ono. But they thought to do me mischief.

And I sent messengers to them, saying, I am doing a great work, so that I cannot come down: why should the work cease, whilst I leave it, and come down to you?

So they sent to me four times after this sort; and I answered them after the same manner.

Then Sanvallat sent his servant to me in like manner the fifth time with an open letter in his hand:

in which was written, It is reported among the nations, and Gashmu says it, that thou and the Jews think to rebel: for which cause thou didst build the wall, that thou mayst be their king, according to these words.

And thou hast also appointed prophets to proclaim of these at Yerushalayim, saying, There is a king in Yehuda: and now shall it be reported to the king according to these words. Come now therefore, and let us take counsel together.

Then I sent to him, saying, There are no such things done as thou sayst, but thou dost invent them out of thy own heart.

For they all would have us afraid, saying, Their hands shall be weakened from the work, that it shall not be done. (Now therefore, strengthen my hands.)

Afterwards I came to the house of Shema῾ya the son of Delaya the son of Mehetav᾽el, who was shut up; and he said, Let us meet together in the house of God, within the temple, and let us shut the doors of the temple: for they will come to slay thee; yea, in the night they will come to slay thee.

And I said, Should such a man as I flee? and who such as I could go into the temple and live? I will not go in.

And, lo, I perceived that God had not sent him; but that he pronounced this prophecy against me: for Toviyya and Sanvallat had hired him.

For this cause was he hired, that I should be afraid, and do so, and sin, and that they might have matter for an evil report, that they might taunt me.

My God, remember Toviyya and Sanvallat according to these their works, and also the prophetess No῾adya, and the rest of the prophets, who would have put me in fear.

So the wall was finished in the twenty fifth day of the month Elul, in fifty two days.

And it came to pass, that when all our enemies heard that, all the nations that were about us were afraid and were much cast down in their own eyes: for they perceived that this work was done by our God.

Moreover in those days the nobles of Yehuda sent many letters to Toviyya, and the letters of Toviyya came to them.

For there were many in Yehuda sworn to him, because he was the son in law of Shekhanya the son of Araĥ; and his son Yehoĥanan had taken the daughter of Meshullam the son of Berekhya.

Also they spoke of his good deeds before me, and reported my words to him. And Toviyya sent letters to put me in fear.