After the fourth communication to Nehemiah and his fourth refusal (v. 4), Sanballat must have sensed that his anxiety was showing and something else was required. So he resorted to innuendo. Here is how Nehemiah tells it in verses 5–7: Then, the fifth time, Sanballat sent his aide to me with the same message, and in his hand was an unsealed letter in which was written: “It is reported among the nations—and Geshem says it is true—that you and the Jews are planning to revolt,