1And it came to be when Sanballat, and Toḇiyah, and Geshem the Araḇ, and the rest of our enemies heard that I had rebuilt the wall, and that there were no breaks left in it – though at that time I had not set up the doors in the gates –

2that Sanballat and Geshem sent to me, saying, “Come, let us meet together in the villages in the plain of Ono.” But they were planning to do evil to me.

3So I sent messengers to them, saying, “I am doing a great work, and I am unable to come down. Why should the work cease while I leave it and come down to you?”

4However, they sent me the same word four times, and I answered them the same word.

5Then Sanballat sent his servant to me with an open letter in his hand, the same word, the fifth time.

6In it was written: Among the nations it has been heard, and Gashmu is saying, that you and the Yehuḏim are planning to rebel, therefore you are rebuilding the wall, and you are to be their sovereign – according to these words.

7And you have also appointed prophets to proclaim concerning you at Yerushalayim, saying, ‘A sovereign is in Yehuḏah!’ And now these words are heard by the sovereign. Therefore come now, and let us take counsel together.

8Then I sent to him, saying, “There are no such matters done as you are saying, but you are inventing them in your own heart.”

9For all of them were making us afraid, saying, “Let their hands slacken for the work, and it not be done.” But now, make my hands strong.

10And when I came to the house of Shemayah son of Delayah, son of Mehĕtaḇ’ĕl, who was restrained, he said, “Let us meet together in the House of Elohim, inside the Hĕḵal, and let us close the doors of the Hĕḵal, for they are coming to slay you – by night they are coming to slay you.”

11And I said, “Should a man like me flee? And who is there like me who would go into the Hĕḵal to save his life? I do not go in!”

12And see, I perceived that Elohim had not sent him, but that he spoke this prophecy against me because Toḇiyah and Sanballat had hired him –

13because he was a hireling – that I should be afraid, and do so, and shall sin, and so they could give me an evil name, to reproach me.

14My Elohim, remember Toḇiyah and Sanballat, according to these works of theirs, and the prophetess No‛aḏyah and the rest of the prophets who would have made me afraid.

15And the wall was completed on the twenty-fifth of the month of Elul, in fifty-two days.

16And it came to be, when all our enemies heard, and all the nations around us saw, that they fell greatly in their own eyes, and knew that this work was done by our Elohim.

17In those days the nobles of Yehuḏah also sent many letters to Toḇiyah, while those of Toḇiyah came to them.

18For many in Yehuḏah were sworn to him, because he was the son-in-law of Sheḵanyah son of Araḥ, and his son Yehoḥanan had married the daughter of Meshullam son of Bereḵyah.

19They were also speaking about his good deeds before me, and reported my words to him. Toḇiyah sent letters to frighten me.