Nehemiah 6:1–9

The Enemy’s Plot

1 Now when it was reported to Sanballat, Tobiah, to Geshem the Arab and to the rest of our enemies that I had rebuilt the wall, and that no breach remained in it, aalthough at that time I had not set up the doors in the gates,

2 then Sanballat and Geshem sent a message to me, saying, “Come, let us meet together at 1Chephirim in the plain of aOno.” But they were planning to 2harm me.

3 So I sent messengers to them, saying, “I am doing a great work and I cannot come down. Why should the work stop while I leave it and come down to you?”

4 They sent messages to me four times in this manner, and I answered them in the same way.

5 Then Sanballat sent his servant to me in the same manner a fifth time with an open letter in his hand.

6 In it was written, “It is reported 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 reports.

7 “You have also appointed prophets to proclaim in Jerusalem concerning 1you, ‘A king is in Judah!’ And now it will be reported to the king according to these reports. So come now, let us take counsel together.”

8 Then I sent a message to him saying, “Such things as you are saying have not been done, but you are ainventing them 1in your own mind.”

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