1Now when Sanballat, Tobiah, Geshem, the Arabian, and the rest of our enemies, heard that I had built the wall, and that there was no breach left in it (though at that time I had not set up the doors upon the gates), 2Sanballat and Geshem sent a message to me, saying, “Come, let us meet together in one of the villages in the plain of Ono.” But they planned to do me mischief. 3And I sent messengers back to them, saying, “I am engaged in a great work, so that I cannot come down. Why should I stop the work, and come down to you?” 4They sent to me messages like that four times; and I answered them in the same manner. 5Then, the fifth time, Sanballat sent his servant to me, with an open letter in his hand; 6In which was written: “It is reported among the nations, and Geshem agrees, that you and the Jews plan to rebel; and that is why you are building the wall, that you may be their king, according to these reports. 7And you have also appointed prophets to proclaim concerning you at Jerusalem, saying, ‘There is a king in Judah’; and now this shall be reported to the (Persian) king with these accusations. Come now, therefore, and let us take counsel together.” 8Then I sent this message: “Nothing like what you say is true; but you invent them in your own head.” 9For they were all trying to intimidate us, thinking, “Their hands shall be weakened from the work, so that it will not be completed.” Now therefore, O God, strengthen my hands.

10Afterward I came to the house of Shemaiah, son of Delaiah, son of Mehetabel, who was shut in; and he said, “Let us meet together in the Temple of God, within the Temple, and let us shut the doors of the Temple; for they will come to kill you; yes, in the night will they come to kill you.” 11And I said, “Should a man in my position flee? And should he go into the Temple to save his life? I will not go in.” 12And I perceived that God had not sent him; but that he pronounced this prophecy against me because Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him. 13He was hired so that I would be frightened and caused to sin, that they might have a basis for an evil report to discredit me. 14My God, remember Tobiah and Sanballat, and their evil works, and the prophetess, Noadiah, and the rest of them, who are trying to intimidate me.

15So the wall was finished in the twenty-fifth day of the month of Elul, in fifty-two days. 16And when all our enemies heard of it, and all the surrounding nations saw these things, they were much disappointed; for then they perceived that this work was accomplished by our God. 17Moreover, in those days, the nobles of Judah were exchanging many letters with Tobiah. 18For there were many in Judah that were loyal to him, because he was the son-in-law of Shechaniah, son of Arah; and his son, Johanan, had taken the daughter of Meshullam, son of Berechiah. 19They also kept reporting his good deeds in my presence, and then reporting what I said to him. And Tobiah sent letters to put me in fear.