| NET Bible | New International Version |
| 1When Sanballat, Tobiah, Geshem the Arab, and the rest of our enemies heard that I had rebuilt the wall and no breach remained in it (even though up to that time I had not positioned doors in the gates), | 1When word came to Sanballat, Tobiah, Geshem the Arab and the rest of our enemies that I had rebuilt the wall and not a gap was left in it--though up to that time I had not set the doors in the gates-- |
| 2Sanballat and Geshem sent word to me saying, "Come on! Let's set up a time to meet together at Kephirim in the plain of Ono." Now they intended to do me harm. | 2Sanballat and Geshem sent me this message: "Come, let us meet together in one of the villages on the plain of Ono." But they were scheming to harm me; |
| 3So I sent messengers to them saying, "I am engaged in an important work, and I am unable to come down. Why should the work come to a halt when I leave it to come down to you?" | 3so I sent messengers to them with this reply: "I am carrying on a great project and cannot go down. Why should the work stop while I leave it and go down to you?" |
| 4They contacted me four times in this way, and I responded the same way each time. | 4Four times they sent me the same message, and each time I gave them the same answer. |
| 5The fifth time that Sanballat sent his assistant to me in this way, he had an open letter in his hand. | 5Then, the fifth time, Sanballat sent his aide to me with the same message, and in his hand was an unsealed letter |
| 6Written in it were the following words: "Among the nations it is rumored (and Geshem has substantiated this) that you and the Jews have intentions of revolting, and for this reason you are building the wall. Furthermore, according to these rumors you are going to become their king. | 6in which was written: "It is reported among the nations--and Geshem says it is true--that you and the Jews are plotting to revolt, and therefore you are building the wall. Moreover, according to these reports you are about to become their king |
| 7You have also established prophets to announce in Jerusalem on your behalf, 'We have a king in Judah!' Now the king is going to hear about these rumors. So come on! Let's talk about this." | 7and have even appointed prophets to make this proclamation about you in Jerusalem: 'There is a king in Judah!' Now this report will get back to the king; so come, let us meet together." |
| 8I sent word back to him, "We are not engaged in these activities you are describing. All of this is a figment of your imagination." | 8I sent him this reply: "Nothing like what you are saying is happening; you are just making it up out of your head." |
| 9All of them were wanting to scare us, supposing, "Their hands will grow slack from the work, and it won't get done." So now, strengthen my hands! | 9They were all trying to frighten us, thinking, "Their hands will get too weak for the work, and it will not be completed." But I prayed, "Now strengthen my hands." |
| 10Then I went to the house of Shemaiah son of Delaiah, the son of Mehetabel. He was confined to his home. He said, "Let's set up a time to meet in the house of God, within the temple. Let's close the doors of the temple, for they are coming to kill you. It will surely be at night that they will come to kill you." | 10One day I went to the house of Shemaiah son of Delaiah, the son of Mehetabel, who was shut in at his home. He said, "Let us meet in the house of God, inside the temple, and let us close the temple doors, because men are coming to kill you--by night they are coming to kill you." |
| 11But I replied, "Should a man like me run away? Would someone like me flee to the temple in order to save his life? I will not go!" | 11But I said, "Should a man like me run away? Or should someone like me go into the temple to save his life? I will not go!" |
| 12I recognized the fact that God had not sent him, for he had spoken the prophecy against me as a hired agent of Tobiah and Sanballat. | 12I realized that God had not sent him, but that he had prophesied against me because Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him. |
| 13He had been hired to scare me so that I would do this and thereby sin. They would thus bring reproach on me and I would be discredited. | 13He had been hired to intimidate me so that I would commit a sin by doing this, and then they would give me a bad name to discredit me. |
| 14Remember, O my God, Tobiah and Sanballat in light of these actions of theirs--also Noadiah the prophetess and the other prophets who were trying to scare me! | 14Remember Tobiah and Sanballat, my God, because of what they have done; remember also the prophet Noadiah and how she and the rest of the prophets have been trying to intimidate me. |
| 15So the wall was completed on the twenty-fifth day of Elul, in just fifty-two days. | 15So the wall was completed on the twenty-fifth of Elul, in fifty-two days. |
| 16When all our enemies heard and all the nations who were around us saw this, they were greatly disheartened. They knew that this work had been accomplished with the help of our God. | 16When all our enemies heard about this, all the surrounding nations were afraid and lost their self-confidence, because they realized that this work had been done with the help of our God. |
| 17In those days the aristocrats of Judah repeatedly sent letters to Tobiah, and responses from Tobiah were repeatedly coming to them. | 17Also, in those days the nobles of Judah were sending many letters to Tobiah, and replies from Tobiah kept coming to them. |
| 18For many in Judah had sworn allegiance to him, because he was the son-in-law of Shecaniah son of Arah. His son Jonathan had married the daughter of Meshullam son of Berechiah. | 18For many in Judah were under oath to him, since he was son-in-law to Shekaniah son of Arah, and his son Jehohanan had married the daughter of Meshullam son of Berekiah. |
| 19They were telling me about his good deeds and then taking back to him the things I said. Tobiah, on the other hand, sent letters in order to scare me. | 19Moreover, they kept reporting to me his good deeds and then telling him what I said. And Tobiah sent letters to intimidate me. |
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