In the month of Chislev, while I was in Shushan at the palace, Hanani, one of my brothers, arrived with some men from Judah. I asked them about the Jews who had escaped, about those who had survived the Babylonian captivity, and about Jerusalem.

When Sanballat heard that we were reconstructing the wall, he flew into a rage, became indignant, and mocked the Jews.

He addressed his allies and the Samaritan officials, saying "What are these pathetic Jews doing? Are they intending to rebuild it by themselves? Do they intend to offer sacrifices? Will they finish in a single day? Can they make stones from this burned out rubble?"

The Jews who lived near them kept coming to us, reporting at least ten times, "They'll attack us from every direction."

Now the people along with their spouses complained loudly against their fellow Jews,

I accused them, "To the best of our ability, we've been buying back our fellow Jews who had been sold to foreigners. Even now you're selling your fellow countrymen, only for them to be sold back to us!" They kept quiet and never spoke a word.

I'm also lending money and grain, as are my fellow-Jews and my servants, but let's not charge interest.

I fed 150 Jews and officials every day, not counting those who came from the nations around us.

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.

At that time I also noticed that Jews had married women from Ashdod, Ammon, and Moab.