Sanballat’s Conspiracy

1  וַיְהִ֣י (And it came to pass), כַאֲשֶׁ֣ר (when) נִשְׁמַ֣ע (it was heard) לְסַנְבַלַּ֣ט (by Sanballat), וְ֠טוֹבִיָּה (and Tobiah), וּלְגֶ֨שֶׁם (and Geshem) הָֽעַרְבִ֜י (the Arab), וּלְיֶ֣תֶר (and the rest) אֹֽיְבֵ֗ינוּ (of our enemies), כִּ֤י (that) בָנִ֙יתִי֙ (I had rebuilt) אֶת־ (-) הַ֣חוֹמָ֔ה (the wall) וְלֹא־ (and not) נ֥וֹתַר (there were left) בָּ֖הּ (in it) פָּ֑רֶץ (breaks) גַּ֚ם (though) עַד־ (at) הָעֵ֣ת (the time) הַהִ֔יא (that) דְּלָת֖וֹת (the doors) לֹא־ (not) הֶעֱמַ֥דְתִּי (I had hung) בַשְּׁעָרִֽים׃ (in the gates)), 2  וַיִּשְׁלַ֨ח (that sent) סַנְבַלַּ֤ט (Sanballat) וְגֶ֙שֶׁם֙ (and Geshem) אֵלַ֣י (to me), לֵאמֹ֔ר (saying), לְכָ֞ה (Come) וְנִֽוָּעֲדָ֥ה (and let us meet) יַחְדָּ֛ו (together) בַּכְּפִירִ֖ים (among the villages) בְּבִקְעַ֣ת (on the plain) אוֹנ֑וֹ (of Ono).

וְהֵ֙מָּה֙ (And they) חֹֽשְׁבִ֔ים (were thinking) לַעֲשׂ֥וֹת (to do) לִ֖י (to me) רָעָֽה׃ (harm).

3  וָאֶשְׁלְחָ֨ה (And I sent) עֲלֵיהֶ֤ם (to them) מַלְאָכִים֙ (messengers) לֵאמֹ֔ר (saying), מְלָאכָ֤ה (A work) גְדוֹלָה֙ (great) אֲנִ֣י (I am) עֹשֶׂ֔ה (doing), וְלֹ֥א (and not) אוּכַ֖ל (I am able) לָרֶ֑דֶת (to come down). לָ֣מָּה (Why) תִשְׁבַּ֤ת (should cease) הַמְּלָאכָה֙ (the work) כַּאֲשֶׁ֣ר (while) אַרְפֶּ֔הָ (I leave it) וְיָרַדְתִּ֖י (and go down) אֲלֵיכֶֽם׃ (to you⁺)?

4  וַיִּשְׁלְח֥וּ (And they sent) אֵלַ֛י (to me) כַּדָּבָ֥ר (the word) הַזֶּ֖ה (this) אַרְבַּ֣ע (four) פְּעָמִ֑ים (times), וָאָשִׁ֥יב (and I answered) אוֹתָ֖ם (them) כַּדָּבָ֥ר (according to the word) הַזֶּֽה׃ס (this).

5  וַיִּשְׁלַח֩ (And sent) אֵלַ֨י (to me) סַנְבַלַּ֜ט (Sanballat) כַּדָּבָ֥ר (according to the word) הַזֶּ֛ה (this) פַּ֥עַם (the time) חֲמִישִׁ֖ית (fifth) אֶֽת־ (-) נַעֲר֑וֹ (his servant), וְאִגֶּ֥רֶת (and with a letter) פְּתוּחָ֖ה (open) בְּיָדֽוֹ׃ (in his hand), 6  כָּת֣וּב (written) בָּ֗הּ (in it):

בַּגּוֹיִ֤ם (Among the nations) נִשְׁמָע֙ (it is reported), וְגַשְׁמ֣וּ (and Gashmu) אֹמֵ֔ר (says), אַתָּ֤ה (that you) וְהַיְּהוּדִים֙ (and the Jews) חֹשְׁבִ֣ים (plan) לִמְר֔וֹד (to rebel); עַל־ (upon) כֵּ֛ן (thus) אַתָּ֥ה (you) בוֹנֶ֖ה (are rebuilding) הַחוֹמָ֑ה (the wall), וְאַתָּ֗ה (that you) הֹוֶ֤ה (may be) לָהֶם֙ (their) לְמֶ֔לֶךְ (king), כַּדְּבָרִ֖ים (according to the words) הָאֵֽלֶּה׃ (these). 7  וְגַם־ (And also) נְבִיאִ֡ים (prophets) הֶעֱמַ֣דְתָּ (you have appointed) לִקְרֹא֩ (to proclaim) עָלֶ֨יךָ (concerning you) בִֽירוּשָׁלִַ֜ם (at Jerusalem), לֵאמֹ֗ר (saying), מֶ֚לֶךְ (There is a king) בִּֽיהוּדָ֔ה (in Judah)! וְעַתָּה֙ (And) יִשָּׁמַ֣ע (will be reported) לַמֶּ֔לֶךְ (to the king) כַּדְּבָרִ֣ים (the words) הָאֵ֑לֶּה (these); וְעַתָּ֣ה (and now) לְכָ֔ה (come) וְנִֽוָּעֲצָ֖ה (and let us counsel) יַחְדָּֽו׃ס (together).

8  וָאֶשְׁלְחָ֤ה (And I sent) אֵלָיו֙ (to him), לֵאמֹ֔ר (saying), לֹ֤א (Not) נִֽהְיָה֙ (are being done) כַּדְּבָרִ֣ים (the things) הָאֵ֔לֶּה (these) אֲשֶׁ֖ר (as) אַתָּ֣ה (you) אוֹמֵ֑ר (say), כִּ֥י (but) מִֽלִּבְּךָ֖ (in your own heart) אַתָּ֥ה (you) בוֹדָֽאם׃ (are inventing them).

9  כִּ֣י (For) כֻלָּ֗ם (all of them) מְיָֽרְאִ֤ים (were frightening) אוֹתָ֙נוּ֙ (us), לֵאמֹ֔ר (saying), יִרְפּ֧וּ (Will be weakened) יְדֵיהֶ֛ם (their hands) מִן־ (in) הַמְּלָאכָ֖ה (the work), וְלֹ֣א (and not) תֵעָשֶׂ֑ה (it will be done).

וְעַתָּ֖ה (And now), חַזֵּ֥ק (strengthen) אֶת־ (-) יָדָֽי׃ (my hands).

10  וַאֲנִי־ (And I) בָ֗אתִי (came) בֵּ֣ית (to the house) שְֽׁמַֽעְיָ֧ה (of Shemaiah) בֶן־ (son) דְּלָיָ֛ה (of Delaiah) בֶּן־ (son) מְהֵֽיטַבְאֵ֖ל (of Mehetabel), וְה֣וּא (and he) עָצ֑וּר (was confined). וַיֹּ֡אמֶר (And he said),

נִוָּעֵד֩ (Let us meet together) אֶל־ (in) בֵּ֨ית (the house) הָאֱלֹהִ֜ים (of God),

אֶל־ (in) תּ֣וֹךְ (the midst) הַֽהֵיכָ֗ל (of the temple),

וְנִסְגְּרָה֙ (and let us close) דַּלְת֣וֹת (the doors) הַהֵיכָ֔ל (of the temple).

כִּ֚י (For) בָּאִ֣ים (they are coming in) לְהָרְגֶ֔ךָ (to kill you)

וְלַ֖יְלָה (and by night) בָּאִ֥ים (they are coming in) לְהָרְגֶֽךָ׃ (to kill you).

11  וָאֹמְרָ֗ה (And I said), הַאִ֤ישׁ (Should a man) כָּמ֙וֹנִי֙ (like me) יִבְרָ֔ח (flee)? וּמִ֥י (And who is) כָמ֛וֹנִי (like me) אֲשֶׁר־ (who), יָב֥וֹא (would go) אֶל־ (into) הַהֵיכָ֖ל (the temple) וָחָ֑י (and live)? לֹ֖א (Not) אָבֽוֹא׃ (I will go in).

12  וָאַכִּ֕ירָה (And I perceived) וְהִנֵּ֥ה (and behold), לֹֽא־ (not) אֱלֹהִ֖ים (God) שְׁלָח֑וֹ (had sent him), כִּ֤י (for) הַנְּבוּאָה֙ (in the prophecy) דִּבֶּ֣ר (that he pronounced) עָלַ֔י (against me), וְטוֹבִיָּ֥ה (and both Tobiah) וְסַנְבַלַּ֖ט (and Sanballat) שְׂכָרֽוֹ׃ (had hired him). 13  לְמַ֤עַן (For this purpose) שָׂכוּר֙ (was hired) ה֔וּא (he), לְמַֽעַן־ (that) אִירָ֥א (I should be afraid), וְאֶֽעֱשֶׂה־ (and act) כֵּ֖ן (this way), וְחָטָ֑אתִי (and sin), וְהָיָ֤ה (that might be) לָהֶם֙ (to them) לְשֵׁ֣ם (for an name) רָ֔ע (evil), לְמַ֖עַן (that) יְחָֽרְפֽוּנִי׃פ (they might reproach me).

14  זָכְרָ֧ה (Be mindful), אֱלֹהַ֛י (O My God), לְטוֹבִיָּ֥ה (of Tobiah) וּלְסַנְבַלַּ֖ט (and of Sanballat) כְּמַעֲשָׂ֣יו (according to their works) אֵ֑לֶּה (these), וְגַ֨ם (and) לְנוֹעַדְיָ֤ה (of Noadiah) הַנְּבִיאָה֙ (the prophetess) וּלְיֶ֣תֶר (and of the rest) הַנְּבִיאִ֔ים (of the prophets) אֲשֶׁ֥ר (who) הָי֖וּ (would have made) מְיָֽרְאִ֥ים (afraid) אוֹתִֽי׃ (me).

Completion of the Wall

15  וַתִּשְׁלַם֙ (And was finished) הַֽחוֹמָ֔ה (the wall) בְּעֶשְׂרִ֥ים (on the twenty) וַחֲמִשָּׁ֖ה (and fifth) לֶאֱל֑וּל (of Elul), לַחֲמִשִּׁ֥ים (on the fifty) וּשְׁנַ֖יִם (and second) יֽוֹם׃פ (day). 16  וַיְהִ֗י (And it came to pass), כַּאֲשֶׁ֤ר (when) שָֽׁמְעוּ֙ (heard) כָּל־ (all) א֣וֹיְבֵ֔ינוּ (our enemies) וַיִּֽרְא֗וּ (and saw) כָּל־ (all) הַגּוֹיִם֙ (the nations) אֲשֶׁ֣ר (who were) סְבִֽיבֹתֵ֔ינוּ (around us), וַיִּפְּל֥וּ (that they fell) מְאֹ֖ד (greatly) בְּעֵינֵיהֶ֑ם (in their own eyes), וַיֵּ֣דְע֔וּ (and for they perceived) כִּ֚י (that) מֵאֵ֣ת (by) אֱלֹהֵ֔ינוּ (our God) נֶעֶשְׂתָ֖ה (was done) הַמְּלָאכָ֥ה (the work) הַזֹּֽאת׃ (this).

17  גַּ֣ם׀ (Also) בַּיָּמִ֣ים (in thedays) הָהֵ֗ם (those), מַרְבִּ֞ים (multiplied) חֹרֵ֤י (the nobles) יְהוּדָה֙ (of Judah) אִגְּרֹ֣תֵיהֶ֔ם (their letters) הוֹלְכ֖וֹת (going) עַל־ (to) טוֹבִיָּ֑ה (Tobiah), וַאֲשֶׁ֥ר (and those) לְטוֹבִיָּ֖ה (of Tobiah) בָּא֥וֹת (came) אֲלֵיהֶֽם׃ (to them). 18  כִּי־ (For) רַבִּ֣ים (many) בִּֽיהוּדָ֗ה (in Judah) בַּעֲלֵ֤י (were bound) שְׁבוּעָה֙ (by oath) ל֔וֹ (to him), כִּי־ (because) חָתָ֥ן (the son-in-law) ה֖וּא (he was) לִשְׁכַנְיָ֣ה (to Shechaniah) בֶן־ (son) אָרַ֑ח (of Arah), וִֽיהוֹחָנָ֣ן (and Jehohanan) בְּנ֔וֹ (his son) לָקַ֕ח (had married) אֶת־ (-) בַּת־ (the daughter) מְשֻׁלָּ֖ם (of Meshullam) בֶּ֥ן (son) בֶּֽרֶכְיָֽה׃ (of Berechiah).

19  גַּ֣ם (Also) טוֹבֹתָ֗יו (his good deeds) הָי֤וּ (they were) אֹמְרִים֙ (reporting) לְפָנַ֔י (before me), וּדְבָרַ֕י (and my words) הָי֥וּ (were) מוֹצִיאִ֖ים (reported) ל֑וֹ (to him). אִגְּר֛וֹת (Letters) שָׁלַ֥ח (sent) טוֹבִיָּ֖ה (Tobiah) לְיָֽרְאֵֽנִי׃ (to frighten me).