(KJV) Nehemiah 6¹

⥃Sanballat’s Conspiracy

[1] Now it came to pass, when Sanballat², and Tobiah, and Geshem³ the Arabian, and the rest of our enemies, heard that I had builded the wall, and [that] there was no breach⁴ left therein; (though at that time⁵ I had not set up the doors upon the gates;) [2] That Sanballat and Geshem sent unto me, saying, Come⁶, let us meet together in [some one of] the villages in the plain of Ono⁷. But they thought⁸ to do me mischief. [3] And I sent⁹ messengers unto them, saying, I [am] doing¹⁰ a great work, so that I cannot come down: why should the work cease, whilst I leave it, and come down to you? [4] Yet they sent unto me four times¹¹ after this sort; and I answered¹² them after the same manner. [5] Then sent Sanballat his servant unto me in like manner the fifth time with an open letter¹³ in his hand; [6] Wherein [was] written, It is reported¹⁴ among the heathen, and Gashmu¹⁵ saith [it], [that] thou and¹⁶ the Jews think to rebel: for which cause thou buildest the wall, that thou mayest¹⁷ be their king, according to these words. [7] And thou hast also appointed¹⁸ prophets to preach of thee at Jerusalem, saying, [There is] a king¹⁹ in Judah: and now shall it be reported to the king according to these words. Come now²⁰ therefore, and let us take counsel together. [8] Then I sent unto him, saying, There are²¹ no such things done as thou sayest, but thou feignest²² them out of thine own heart. [9] For they²³ all made us afraid, saying, Their hands²⁴ shall be weakened from the work, that it be not done. Now therefore²⁵, [O God], strengthen my hands. [10] Afterward I came unto the house of Shemaiah²⁶ the son of Delaiah the son of Mehetabeel, who [was] shut up²⁷; and he said, Let us meet²⁸ together in the house²⁹ of God, within the temple, and let us shut³⁰ the doors of the temple: for they will come to slay thee; yea, in the night³¹ will they come to slay thee. [11] And I said, Should such³² a man as I flee? and who [is there], that, [being] as I [am], would go³³ into the temple to save his life? I will not go in. [12] And, lo, I perceived³⁴ that God had³⁵ not sent him; but that he pronounced this prophecy against me: for Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him³⁶. [13] Therefore [was] he hired, that I should³⁷ be afraid, and do so, and sin³⁸, and [that³⁹] they⁴⁰ might have [matter] for an evil report, that they might reproach me. [14] My God⁴¹, think thou⁴² upon Tobiah and Sanballat according to these their works, and on the prophetess⁴³ Noadiah, and the rest of the prophets, that would have put me in fear.

⥃Completion of the Wall

[15] So the wall⁴⁴ was finished in the twenty and fifth [day] of [the month] Elul, in fifty⁴⁵ and two days. [16] And it came to pass, that when all our enemies⁴⁶ heard [thereof], and all the heathen that [were] about us saw [these things], they were much cast down in their own eyes: for they perceived⁴⁷ that this work was wrought of our God.

[17] [¶]Moreover in those days the nobles⁴⁸ of Judah sent many letters unto Tobiah⁴⁹, and [the letters] of Tobiah came unto them. [18] For [there were] many in Judah sworn unto him, because he [was] the son in law of Shechaniah the son of Arah⁵⁰; and his son Johanan had taken the daughter of Meshullam⁵¹ the son of Berechiah. [19] Also they reported⁵² his good deeds before me, and uttered my words⁵³ to him. [And] Tobiah sent letters to put⁵⁴ me in fear.