Nehemiah 6

NEW JERUSALEM	NEW AMERICAN BIBLE
1 When Sanbal at, Tobiah, Geshem the Arab and our other enemies heard that I had rebuilt the wal andthat not a single gap was left -- though at that time I had not fixed the doors to the gates-	1 When it had been reported to Sanballat, Tobiah, Geshem the Arab, and our other enemies that I had rebuilt the wall and that there was no breach left in it (though up to that time I had not yet set up the doors in the gates),
2 Sanbal at and Geshem sent me this message, 'Come and meet us at Ha-Chephirim in the Vale of Ono.'But they had evil designs on me.	2 Sanballat and Geshem sent me this message: "Come, let us hold council together at Caphirim in the plain of Ono." They were planning to do me harm.
3 So I sent messengers to them to say, 'I am engaged in a great undertaking, so I cannot come down.Why should the work stop while I leave it and come down to you?'	3 However, I sent messengers to them with this reply: "I am engaged in a great enterprise and am unable to come down; why should the work stop, while I leave it to come down to you?"
4 Four times they sent me the same invitation and I made them the same reply.	4 Four times they sent me this same proposal, and each time I gave the same reply.
5 The fifth time, with the same purpose in mind, Sanballat sent me his servant bearing an open letter.	5 Then, the fifth time, Sanballat sent me the same message by one of his servants, who bore an unsealed letter
6 It ran, 'There is a rumour among the nations -- and Gashmu confirms it -- that you and the Jews arethinking of rebel ing, which is why you are rebuilding the wal , and you intend to become their king;	6 containing this text: "Among the nations it has been reported--Geshem is witness to this--that you and the Jews are planning a rebellion; that for this reason you are rebuilding the wall; and that you are to be their king"--and so on.
7 and that you have even briefed prophets to acclaim you in Jerusalem with the cry, "There is a king inJudah!" Now, these rumours are going to reach the king; so you had better come and discuss them with us.'	7 "Also, that you have set up prophets in Jerusalem to proclaim you king of Judah. Now, since matters like these must reach the ear of the king, come, let us hold council together."
8 To this I sent him the fol owing reply, 'As regards what you say, nothing of the sort has occurred; it is afigment of your own imagination.'	8 I sent him this answer: "Nothing of what you report has taken place; rather, it is the invention of your own mind."
9 For they were all trying to terrorise us, thinking, 'They wil become demoralised over the work and it wilnot get finished.' But my morale rose even higher.	9 They were all trying to frighten us, thinking, "Their hands will slacken in the work, and it will never be completed." But instead, I now redoubled my efforts.
10 Then, when I went to visit Shemaiah son of Delaiah, son of Mehetabel, since he was prevented fromcoming to me, he said: We must gather at the Temple of God, inside the sanctuary itself; we must shut thesanctuary doors, for they are coming to kil you, they are coming to kil you tonight!	10 I went to the house of Shemaiah, son of Delaiah, son of Mehetabel, who was unable to go about, and he said: "Let us meet in the house of God, inside the temple building; let us lock the doors of the temple. For men are coming to kill you; by night they are coming to kill you."
11 But I retorted, 'Should a man like me run away? Would a man like me go into the Temple to save hislife? I shal not go in!'	11 My answer was: "A man like me take flight? Can a man like me enter the temple to save his life? I will not go!"
12 I realised that God had not sent him to say this, but that he had produced this prophecy for mebecause Tobiah was paying him	12 For on consideration it was plain to me that God had not sent him; rather, because Tobiah and Sanballat had bribed him, he voiced this prophecy concerning me
13 to terrorise me into doing as he said and committing a sin, so that they would have grounds forblackening my reputation and blaming me.	13 that I might act on it out of fear and commit this sin. Then they would have had a shameful story with which to discredit me.
14 Remember Tobiah, my God, for what he did; and Noadiah the prophetess, and the other prophetswho tried to terrorise me.	14 Keep in mind Tobiah and Sanballat, O my God, because of these things they did; keep in mind as well Noadiah the prophetess and the other prophets who were trying to frighten me.
15 The wall was finished within fifty-two days, on the twenty-fifth of Elul.	15 The wall was finished on the twenty-fifth day of Elul; it had taken fifty-two days.
16 When al our enemies heard about it and al the surrounding nations saw it, they thought it a wonderful thing, because they realised that this work had been accomplished by the power of our God.	16 When all our enemies had heard of this, and all the nations round about had taken note of it, our enemies lost much face in the eyes of the nations, for they knew that it was with our God's help that this work had been completed.
17 During this same period, the nobles of Judah kept sending letter after letter to Tobiah, and letters fromTobiah kept arriving for them;	17 At that same time, however, many letters were going to Tobiah from the nobles of Judah, and Tobiah's letters were reaching them,
18 for he had many sworn to his interest in Judah, since he was son-in-law to Shecaniah son of Arah,and his son Jehohanan had married the daughter of Meshul am son of Berechiah.	18 for many in Judah were in league with him, since he was the son-in-law of Shecaniah, son of Arah, and his son Jehohanan had married the daughter of Meshullam, son of Berechiah.
19 They even cried up his good deeds in my presence, and they reported what I said back to him. AndTobiah kept sending letters to terrorise me.	19 Thus they would praise his good deeds in my presence and relate to him whatever I said; and Tobiah sent letters trying to frighten me.