Enemies Foiled
1 Word was given to Sanballat and Tobiah and to Geshem the Arabian and to the rest of our enemies, that I had done the building of the wall and that there were no more broken places in it though even then I had not put up the gates in the gateways.
1 Now it came to pass, when Sanballat, and Tobiah, and Geshem the Arabian, and the rest of our enemies, heard that I had builded the wall, and that there was no breach left therein; (though at that time I had not set up the doors upon the gates;)
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, (A)although at that time I had not set up the doors in the gates,
1 When Sanballat, Tobiah, Geshem the Arab, and the rest of our enemies(A) heard that I had rebuilt the wall and that no gap was left in it(B)—though at that time I had not installed the doors in the gates(C)—
1 When Sanballat, Tobiah, Geshem the Arab, and the rest of our enemies heard that I had completed the wall and that no break remained in it (even though by that time I hadn't yet installed the doors in the gates),
2 Sanballat and Geshem sent to me saying: Come; let us have a meeting in one of the little towns in the lowland of Ono. But their purpose was to do me evil.
2 That Sanballat and Geshem sent unto me, saying, Come, let us meet together in some one of the villages in the plain of Ono. But they thought to do me mischief.
2 then Sanballat and Geshem sent a message to me, saying, “Come, let us meet together at (a)Chephirim in the plain of (B)Ono.” But they were planning to (b)harm me.
2 Sanballat and Geshem(D) sent me a message: “Come, let’s meet together in the villages of(a) the Ono Valley.”(E) But they were planning to harm me.
2 Sanballat and Geshem sent word to me, saying "Come, let's meet together at Kephirim on the Ono Plain." But they were just trying to do me harm.
3 I sent men to them saying: I am doing a great work, so that it is not possible for me to come. Should the work to be stopped while I go away from it and come to you?
3 And I sent messengers unto them, saying, I am doing a great work, so that I cannot come down: why should the work cease, whilst I leave it, and come down to you?
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?”
3 So I sent messengers to them, saying, “I am doing a great work and cannot come down. Why should the work cease while I leave it and go down to you?”
3 So I sent messengers to them, replying "I am involved in a great endeavor, so I can't leave. Why should the work stop while I leave it to come down to you?"
4 They sent this to me four times. I sent them the same answer.
4 Yet they sent unto me four times after this sort; and I answered them after the same manner.
4 They sent messages to me four times in this manner, and I answered them in the same way.
4 Four times they sent me the same proposal, and I gave them the same reply.
4 They sent me this message four times, and I answered them the same way.
5 Then Sanballat sent his servant to me a fifth time with an open letter in his hand.
5 Then sent Sanballat his servant unto me in like manner the fifth time with an open letter in his hand;
5 Then Sanballat sent his servant to me in the same manner a fifth time with an open letter in his hand.
5 Sanballat(F) sent me this same message a fifth time by his aide, who had an open letter in his hand.
5 Then Sanballat sent his assistant to me the fifth time. But this time the letter was sent unsealed, and
6 There was written in it: It has been heard among the nations what Geshem is saying, / He is saying that you and the Jews are hoping to make yourselves free from the king's authority. That this is why you are building the wall. They say that it is your purpose to be their king.
6 Wherein was written, It is reported among the heathen, and Gashmu saith it, that thou and the Jews think to rebel: for which cause thou buildest the wall, that thou mayest be their king, according to these words.
6 In it was written, “It is reported among the nations, and (c)Gashmu says, that (C)you and the Jews are planning to rebel; therefore you are rebuilding the wall. And you are to be their king, according to these reports.
6 In it was written:It is reported among the nations—and Geshem(b)(G) 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
6 in it was written:
7 And that you have prophets preaching about you in Jerusalem, and saying: 'There is a king in Judah.' Now an account of these things will be sent to the king. So come now, and let us have a discussion.
7 And thou hast also appointed prophets to preach of thee at Jerusalem, saying, There is a king in Judah: and now shall it be reported to the king according to these words. Come now therefore, and let us take counsel together.
7 You have also appointed prophets to proclaim in Jerusalem concerning (d)you, ‘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.”
7 and have even set up the prophets in Jerusalem to proclaim on your behalf: “There is a king in Judah.”(H) These rumors will be heard by the king. So come, let’s confer together.
7 It is reported among the nations and Gashmu confirms this that you and the Jews are planning a revolt, and that you're rebuilding the wall in order to declare yourself king. According to these reports, you also have appointed prophets to proclaim about you in Jerusalem, "There is a king in Judah!" Since these words are being reported to the king, come and let's meet together.
8 I responded to him, saying: No such things as you say are being done. They are only a fiction you have made up yourself.
8 Then I sent unto him, saying, There are no such things done as thou sayest, but thou feignest them out of thine own heart.
8 Then I sent a message to him saying, “Such things as you are saying have not been done, but you are (D)inventing them (e)in your own mind.”
8 Then I replied to him, “There is nothing to these rumors you are spreading; you are inventing them in your own mind.”(I)
8 I sent word back to him, "Nothing has happened as you've claimed. You're making up these charges in your imagination."
9 They hoped to put fear in us, saying: Their hands will become feeble and give up the work so that it may not get done. But now, O God, make my hands strong.
9 For they all made us afraid, saying, Their hands shall be weakened from the work, that it be not done. Now therefore, O God, strengthen my hands.
9 For all of them were trying to frighten us, (f)thinking, “(g)They will become discouraged with the work and it will not be done.” But now, (E)O God, strengthen my hands.
9 For they were all trying to intimidate(J) us, saying, “They will become discouraged(c) in the work,(K) and it will never be finished.”But now, my God, strengthen me.(d)(L)
9 For they all were trying to make us afraid by saying, "Their hands will become tired from laboring, so the work won't be completed." "Therefore, LORD, strengthen my hands!"
Attempts To Intimidate Nehemiah
10 And I went to the house of Shemaiah, the son of Delaiah, the son of Mehetabel, who was confined in his house. He said: Let us have a meeting in the house of God, inside the Temple, and let the doors be closed for they will come to kill you. Truly, in the night they will come to kill you.
10 Afterward I came unto the house of Shemaiah the son of Delaiah the son of Mehetabeel, who was shut up; and he said, Let us meet together in the house of God, within the temple, and let us shut the doors of the temple: for they will come to slay thee; yea, in the night will they come to slay thee.
10 When I entered the house of Shemaiah the son of Delaiah, son of Mehetabel, (F)who was (h)confined at home, 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.”
10 I went to the house of Shemaiah son of Delaiah, son of Mehetabel, who was restricted to his house. He said:Let us meet at the house of Godinside the temple.Let us shut the temple doorsbecause they are coming to kill you.They are coming to kill you tonight!(e)
10 Later I visited Delaiah's son Shemaiah, a grandson of Mehetabel, who was confined at home. He kept urging me, "Let's meet together at the house of God, within the Temple, and take refuge there, because they're coming to kill you. In fact, they're coming at night to kill you!"
11 I replied: Am I the sort of man to go in flight? What man, in my position, would go into the Temple to keep safe? I will not go in.
11 And I said, Should such a man as I flee? and who is there, that, being as I am, would go into the temple to save his life? I will not go in.
11 But I said, “(G)Should a man like me flee? And could one such as I go into the temple (i)to save his life? I will not go in.”
11 But I said, “Should a man like me run away? How can I enter the temple and live?(M) I will not go.”
11 But I asked him, "Should a man like me run? Should someone like me run into the Temple to save his life? I won't go there!"
12 Then it became clear to me that God had not sent him. He spoke prophecy against me. Tobiah and Sanballat paid him money to do so.
12 And, lo, I perceived that God had not sent him; but that he pronounced this prophecy against me: for Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him.
12 Then I perceived (j)that surely God had not sent him, but he uttered his prophecy against me because Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him.
12 I realized that God had not sent him, because of the prophecy he spoke against me. Tobiah and Sanballat(N) had hired him.
12 I perceived that God had not sent him. Instead, Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him to pronounce this prophecy against me.
13 For this reason they paid him money, in order that I might be overcome by fear and do what he said and do wrong. Then they would have reason to say evil about me and put shame on me.
13 Therefore was he hired, that I should be afraid, and do so, and sin, and that they might have matter for an evil report, that they might reproach me.
13 He was hired for this reason, (H)that I might become frightened and act accordingly and sin, so that they might have an evil report in order that they could reproach me.
13 He was hired, so that I would be intimidated,(O) do as he suggested, sin, and get a bad reputation, in order that they could discredit me.
13 He had been hired to make me afraid so I would sin by doing what he suggested. Then they could create a slanderous report to use against me.
14 Keep in mind, O my God, Tobiah and Sanballat and what they did, and Noadiah, the woman prophet, and the rest of the prophets whose purpose was to frighten me.
14 My God, think thou upon Tobiah and Sanballat according to these their works, and on the prophetess Noadiah, and the rest of the prophets, that would have put me in fear.
14 (I)Remember, O my God, Tobiah and Sanballat according to these works of theirs, and also Noadiah (J)the prophetess and the rest of the prophets who were trying to frighten me.
14 My God, remember(P) Tobiah and Sanballat for what they have done, and also Noadiah the prophetess(Q) and the other prophets who wanted to intimidate me.
14 "Remember me, my God, and take note of what Tobiah and Sanballat are doing. Also take note of the prophetess Noadiah and the rest of the prophets who intend to make me afraid."
The Wall Is Completed
Opposition To The Completed Wall
16 When our enemies had news of this, all the nations round about us were full of fear and were greatly shamed. They saw that our God had done this work.
16 And it came to pass, that when all our enemies heard thereof, and all the heathen that were about us saw these things, they were much cast down in their own eyes: for they perceived that this work was wrought of our God.
16 (L)When all our enemies heard of it, and all the nations surrounding us saw it, they (k)lost their confidence; for (M)they recognized that this work had been accomplished (l)with the help of our God.
16 When all our enemies(T) heard this, all the surrounding nations were intimidated(U) and lost their confidence,(f) for they realized that this task had been accomplished by our God.(V)
16 When all of our enemies including the surrounding nations heard this, they became very discouraged, since they saw that the work had been done by our God.
Traitors On The Inside
17 The leaders of Judah exchanged letters with Tobiah.
17 Moreover in those days the nobles of Judah sent many letters unto Tobiah, and the letters of Tobiah came unto them.
17 Also in those days many letters went from the nobles of Judah to Tobiah, and Tobiah’s letters came to them.
17 During those days, the nobles of Judah sent many letters to Tobiah,(W) and Tobiah’s letters came to them.
17 Meanwhile, at that time the nobles of Judah continued to send many letters to Tobiah, and Tobiah kept sending letters to them.
18 For in Judah there were a number of people who had made an agreement by oath with him. For he was the son-in-law of Shecaniah, the son of Arah and his son Jehohanan had taken as his wife the daughter of Meshullam, the son of Berechiah.
18 For there were many in Judah sworn unto him, because he was the son in law of Shechaniah the son of Arah; and his son Johanan had taken the daughter of Meshullam the son of Berechiah.
18 For many in Judah were bound by oath to him because he was the son-in-law of Shecaniah the son of Arah, and his son Jehohanan had married the daughter of Meshullam the son of Berechiah.
18 For many in Judah were bound by oath(X) to him, since he was a son-in-law of Shecaniah son of Arah, and his son Jehohanan had married the daughter of Meshullam(Y) son of Berechiah.
18 For many Judeans had sworn allegiance to him, since he was son-in-law to Arah's son Shecaniah, and his son Jehohanan had married the daughter of Berechiah's son Meshullam.
19 They spoke a good deal about the good he had done in my presence, and reported what I said to him. Tobiah sent letters with the purpose of causing me fear.
19 Also they reported his good deeds before me, and uttered my words to him. And Tobiah sent letters to put me in fear.
19 Moreover, they were speaking about his good deeds in my presence and reported my words to him. Then Tobiah sent letters to frighten me.
19 These nobles kept mentioning Tobiah’s good deeds to me, and they reported my words to him. And Tobiah sent letters to intimidate(Z) me.
19 Furthermore, they kept reporting Tobiah's good deeds to me, and kept repeating what I told him. Tobiah kept sending letters to intimidate me.