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 breachlefttherein; (though at that time I had not set up the doors upon the gates;)
2
That Sanballat and Geshemsent unto me, saying, Come, let us meettogether in some one of the villages in the plain of Ono. But they thought to do me mischief.
3
And I sentmessengers unto them, saying, I am doing a greatwork, so that I cannot come down: why should the workcease, whilst I leave it, and come down to you?
6
Wherein was written, It is reported among the heathen, and Gashmusaith it, that thou and the Jewsthink to rebel: for which cause thou buildest the wall, that thou mayest be their king, according to these words.
7
And thou hast also appointedprophets 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 counseltogether.
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.
13
Therefore was he hired, that I should be afraid, and do so, and sin, and that they might have matter for an evilreport, that they might reproach me.
14
My God,think thou upon Tobiah and Sanballat according to these their works, and on the prophetessNoadiah, and the rest of the prophets, that would have put me in fear.
16
And it came to pass, that when all our enemiesheard thereof, and all the heathen that were about ussaw these things, they were much cast down in their own eyes: for they perceived that this work was wrought of our God.
18
For there were many in Judahswornunto him, because he was the son in law of Shechaniah the son of Arah; and his sonJohanan had taken the daughter of Meshullam the son of Berechiah.