Nehemiah 6:6–13

⁶In it was written,

“It is heard among the nations, and ¹Gashmu says, that ^ayou and the Jews are planning to rebel; therefore you are rebuilding the wall. And you are to be their king, according to these words.

⁷“You have also ¹set up prophets to call out in Jerusalem concerning ²you, ‘A king is in Judah!’ So now it will be heard by the king according to these words. So now, come, let us take counsel together.”

⁸Then I sent a message to him, saying,

“Such words as you are saying have not been done, but you are ^adevising them in your own heart.”

⁹For all of them were trying to frighten us, ¹thinking, “Their hands will ²become limp in doing the work, and it will not be done.” But now, ^aO God, strengthen my hands.

¹⁰Now I entered the house of Shemaiah the son of Delaiah, son of Mehetabel, ^awho was ¹confined at home, and he said, “Let us meet together in the house of God, within the temple, and let us close the doors of the temple, for they are coming to kill you, and they are coming to kill you at night.”

¹¹But I said, “^aShould a man like me flee? And could one such as I go into the temple just to live? I will not go in.”

¹²Then I recognized ¹that surely God had not sent him, but he spoke his prophecy against me because Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him.

¹³He was hired for this reason, ^athat I might become afraid and act accordingly and sin, so that they could give me a bad name in order that they could reproach me.