I said to the king, "If it pleases the king, and if your servant has found favor in your sight, that you would send me to Judah, to the city of my fathers' tombs, that I may build it."

The king said to me (the queen was also sitting by him), "For how long shall your journey be? And when will you return?" So it pleased the king to send me; and I set him a time.

Then I came to the governors beyond the River, and gave them the king's letters. Now the king had sent with me captains of the army and horsemen.

Wherever you hear the sound of the trumpet, rally there to us. Our God will fight for us."

that Sanballat and Geshem sent to me, saying, "Come, let us meet together at Ha-Kephirim in the plain of Ono." But they intended to harm me.

I sent messengers to them, saying, "I am doing a great work, so that I can't come down. Why should the work cease, while I leave it, and come down to you?"

They sent to me four times after this sort; and I answered them the same way.

Then Sanballat sent his servant to me the same way the fifth time with an open letter in his hand,

Then I sent to him, saying, "There are no such things done as you say, but you imagine them out of your own heart."

I discerned, and behold, God had not sent him; but he pronounced this prophecy against me. Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him.

Moreover in those days the nobles of Judah sent many letters to Tobiah, and Tobiah's letters came to them.

Also they spoke of his good deeds before me, and reported my words to him. Tobiah sent letters to put me in fear.

Then he said to them, "Go your way. Eat the fat, drink the sweet, and send portions to him for whom nothing is prepared; for this day is holy to our Lord. Do not be grieved; for the joy of the LORD is your strength."

All the people went their way to eat, and to drink, and to send portions, and to make great mirth, because they had understood the words that were declared to them.