Nehemiah 6

Now it came to pass, when Sanballat, and Tobiah, and Geshem the Arabian, and the rest of our enemies, heard that I had builded the wall, and that there was no breach left therein; (though at that time I had not set up the doors upon the gates;)

1Sanballat, Tobiah, Geshem the Arab, and other enemies heard news. The wall was rebuilt, and no holes were left in it. But Nehemiah had not yet put the doors in the gates.

2That Sanballat and Geshem sent unto me, saying, Come, let us meet together in some one of the villages in the plain of Ono. But they thought to do me mischief.

2Sanballat and Geshem sent Nehemiah a message. They said, "Come meet us in a village on the plain of Ono." But they were really planning to hurt him.

3And I sent messengers unto 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?

3Nehemiah sent messengers back with this answer. "I am doing a big job, so I cannot come down. Why should the work stop while I leave it?"

4Yet they sent unto me four times after this sort; and I answered them after the same manner.

4They sent him the same message four times. Each time he gave them the same answer.

5Then sent Sanballat his servant unto me in like manner the fifth time with an open letter in his hand;

5The fifth time, Sanballat sent his servant with the message. The servant carried a letter that was not sealed shut.

NoteA letter that is not sealed can be read by anyone who carries it. Sending it open was a way to spread the lies to everyone.

6Wherein was written, It is reported among the heathen, and Gashmu saith it, that thou and the Jews think to rebel: for which cause thou buildest the wall, that thou mayest be their king, according to these words.

6The letter said, "People in other lands are talking. Geshem says it too. They say you and the Jews plan to fight the king. They say that is why you are building the wall. They say you want to be their king.

7And thou hast also appointed prophets to preach of thee at Jerusalem, saying, There is a king in Judah: and now shall it be reported to the king according to these words. Come now therefore, and let us take counsel together.

7You even picked prophets to tell people in Jerusalem, 'Judah has a king!' A prophet is someone who says he speaks for God. The king will hear about all this. So come and let us talk it over."

8Then I sent unto him, saying, There are no such things done as thou sayest, but thou feignest them out of thine own heart.

8Nehemiah sent back this answer. "None of that is true. You are making it up in your own head."

9For they all made us afraid, saying, Their hands shall be weakened from the work, that it be not done. Now therefore, O God, strengthen my hands.

9They were all trying to make the workers afraid. They hoped the people would grow tired and stop building. So Nehemiah prayed, "My God, make my hands strong."

10Afterward I came unto the house of Shemaiah the son of Delaiah the son of Mehetabeel, 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 will they come to slay thee.

10Later Nehemiah went to see Shemaiah son of Delaiah, son of Mehetabel. Shemaiah was shut inside his house. He said, "Let us hide inside God's temple and lock the doors. Men are coming to kill you tonight!"

11And I said, Should such a man as I flee? and who is there, that, being as I am, would go into the temple to save his life? I will not go in.

11Nehemiah said, "Should a man like me run away? Should a man like me hide in the temple to stay alive? I will not go in."

12And, lo, I perceived that God had not sent him; but that he pronounced this prophecy against me: for Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him.

12Nehemiah understood that God had not sent Shemaiah. Shemaiah spoke against him because Tobiah and Sanballat had paid him.

13Therefore 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 reproach me.

13They paid him to scare Nehemiah into hiding. Then Nehemiah would have done wrong. Then they could spread a bad story and shame him.

14My God, think thou upon Tobiah and Sanballat according to these their works, and on the prophetess Noadiah, and the rest of the prophets, that would have put me in fear.

14Nehemiah prayed, "My God, remember what Tobiah and Sanballat have done. Remember Noadiah the prophetess too, and the other prophets who tried to scare me."

15So the wall was finished in the twenty and fifth day of the month Elul, in fifty and two days.

15So the wall was finished on the twenty-fifth day of the month Elul. The whole job took only fifty-two days.

16And it came to pass, that when all our enemies heard thereof, and all the heathen that were about us saw these things, they were much cast down in their own eyes: for they perceived that this work was wrought of our God.

16All their enemies heard about it, and the nearby nations saw it. They lost their courage and felt very small. They knew that our God had done this work.

Note"Cast down in their own eyes" in the old wording means they felt afraid and small, not that anyone knocked them over.

17Moreover in those days the nobles of Judah sent many letters unto Tobiah, and the letters of Tobiah came unto them.

17In those days the important men of Judah wrote many letters to Tobiah. Tobiah wrote letters back to them.

18For there were many in Judah sworn unto him, because he was the son in law of Shechaniah the son of Arah; and his son Johanan had taken the daughter of Meshullam the son of Berechiah.

18Many people in Judah had promised to stand with Tobiah. He had married the daughter of Shechaniah son of Arah. His son Johanan had married the daughter of Meshullam son of Berechiah.

19Also they reported his good deeds before me, and uttered my words to him. And Tobiah sent letters to put me in fear.

19These men kept telling Nehemiah about the good things Tobiah did. They also told Tobiah what Nehemiah said. And Tobiah kept sending letters to scare him.