1 Now it came to pass, when it was reported to Sanballat and Tobiah, and to Geshem the Arabian, and to the rest of our enemies, that I had built the wall, and that there was no breach left in it; (though even to that time I had not set up the doors in the gates;)
2 that Sanballat 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 mischief to me.
3 And I sent messengers to them, saying, I am doing a great work, so that I can't come down: why should the work cease, while I leave it, and come down to you{+}?
4 And they sent to me four times after this sort; and I answered them after the same manner.
5 Then Sanballat sent his attendant to me in like manner the fifth time with an open letter in his hand,
6 in which was written, It is reported among the nations, and Gashmu says it, that you and the Jews think to rebel; for which cause you are building the wall: and you would be their king, according to these words.
7 And you have also appointed prophets to preach of you at Jerusalem, saying, There is a king in Judah: and now it will be reported to the king according to these words. So now, come and let us take counsel together.
8 Then I sent to him, saying, There are no such things done as you say, but you feign them out of your own heart.
9 For all of them would have made us afraid, saying, Their hands will be weakened from the work, that it will not be done. So now, strengthen my hands.
10 And I went to the house of Shemaiah the son of Delaiah the son of Mehetabel, who was shut up; and he said, Let us meet together in the house of God, inside the temple, and let us shut the doors of the temple: for they will come to slay you; yes, in the night they will come to slay you.
11 And I said, Should a man such as I flee? And who is there, that, being such as I, would go into the temple to save his life? I will not go in.
12 And I discerned, and saw that God had not sent him; but he pronounced this prophecy against me: and Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him.
13 For this cause he was hired, that I should be afraid, and do so, and sin, and that they might have matter for an evil report, that they might reproach me.
14 Remember, O my God, Tobiah and Sanballat according to these works of theirs, and also the prophetess Noadiah, and the rest of the prophets, that would have put me in fear.
15 So the wall was finished in the twenty and fifth [day] of [the month] Elul, in fifty and two days.
16 And it came to pass, when all our enemies heard [of it], that all the nations that were about us feared, and were much cast down in their own eyes; for they perceived that this work was wrought of our God.
17 Moreover in those days the nobles of Judah sent many letters to Tobiah, and [the letters] of Tobiah came to them.
18 For there were many in Judah sworn to him, because he was the son-in-law of Shecaniah the son of Arah; and his son Jehohanan had taken the daughter of Meshullam the son of Berechiah as wife.
19 Also they spoke of his good deeds before me, and reported my words to him. [And] Tobiah sent letters to put me in fear.