ATTEMPTS TO DISCOURAGE THE BUILDERS

6 When Sanballat, Tobiah, Geshem the Arab, and the rest of our enemiesg heard that I had rebuilt the wall and that no gap was left in ith—though at that time I had not installed the doors in the city gatesi—2 Sanballat and Geshemj sent me a message: “Come, let’s meet together in the villages ofB the Ono Valley.”k They were planning to harm me.

3 So I sent messengers to them, saying, “I am doing important work and cannot come down. Why should the work cease while I leave it and go down to you?” 4 Four times they sent me the same proposal, and I gave them the same reply.

5 Sanballatl sent me this same message a fifth time by his aide, who had an open letter in his hand. 6 In it was written:

It is reported among the nations—and GeshemC,m agrees—that you and the Jews plan to rebel. This is the reason you are building the wall. According to these reports, you are to become their king 7 and have even set up the prophets in Jerusalem to proclaim on your behalf, “There is a king in Judah.”n These rumors will be heard by the king. So come, let’s confer together.

8 Then I replied to him, “There is nothing to these rumors you are spreading; you are inventing them in your own mind.”o 9 For they were all trying to intimidatep us, saying, “They will drop their hands fromD the work,q and it will never be finished.”

But now, my God, strengthen my hands.r