Nehemiah 6:6–13

⁶In it was written:

It is reported among the nations—and Geshem^Cm 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 ⁷and 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.

⁸Then 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 intimidate^p us, saying, “They will drop their hands from^D the work,^q and it will never be finished.”

But now, my God, strengthen my hands.^r

ATTEMPTS TO INTIMIDATE NEHEMIAH

¹⁰I went to the house of Shemaiah son of Delaiah, son of Mehetabel, who was restricted to his house. He said:

Let’s meet at the house of God,

inside the temple.

Let’s shut the temple doors

because they’re coming to kill you.

They’re coming to kill you tonight!^E

¹¹But I said, “Should a man like me run away? How can someone like me enter the temple and live?^s I will not go.” ¹²I realized that God had not sent him, because of the prophecy he spoke against me. Tobiah and Sanballat^t had hired him. ¹³He was hired, so that I would be intimidated,^u do as he suggested, sin, and get a bad reputation, in order that they could discredit me.