Nehemiah Chapter 6
Conspiracy Against Nehemiah
1 Sanballat, Tobiah, Geshem the Arab, and the rest of our enemies found out I’d rebuilt the wall so there wasn’t any break in it—although I hadn’t set up the doors in the gates yet. 2 Sanballat and Geshem sent me a message, “Meet us at Chephirim in the Plain of Ono.” They were planning to harm me. 3 I sent messengers, “I’m in an extensive project. Why should the work stop while I’m with you?” 4 They sent me four messages like that; I answered them the same way. 5 Then Sanballat sent his servant a fifth time with an open letter in hand. 6 He’d written,
“It’s reported among the countries—and Gashmu tells me it’s true—that you and the Jews plan to revolt; that’s why you’re rebuilding the wall. Those reports say you’ll be their king. 7 You’ve also appointed prophets to make a declaration in Jerusalem about you, ‘There’s a king in Judah!’ Those reports will be passed on to the king. Come; let’s talk about it.”
Neh 6:1-7
8 I sent him a message, “We haven’t done things like what you’re saying. You’ve made them up.” 9 They were trying to scare us so we’d get discouraged and quit. But now, God, give me courage.
10 When I went into the house of Shemaiah Ben-Delaiah Ben-Mehetabel, who was confined at home, he said, “Let’s meet in God’s Temple and close the doors; they’re going to come during the night to kill you.” 11 I said, “Should a man like me run to the Temple to save my life? I won’t do that.” 12 I sensed that God hadn’t sent him. He gave me that warning because Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him 13 to scare me so I’d act accordingly and sin. They’d have a bad report to accuse me of. 14 God, remember Tobiah and Sanballat for what they’ve done, as well as Noadiah the prophetess, and the other prophets that were trying to scare me. Neh 6:8-14
15 The wall was completed on the twenty-fifth of the month Elul (in 52 days). 16 When our enemies heard it and the nations around us saw it, they lost their confidence. They recognized that our God had helped accomplish the work. . 17 During that time lots of letters went back and forth between Tobiah and the nobles in Judah. 18 Many in Judah were bound to him under oath because he was the son-in-law of Shecaniah son of Arah. His son Jehohanan had married the daughter of Meshullam son of Berechiah. 19 In addition, they kept telling me about the good things he'd done and reporting to him what I said. Tobiah kept sending letters to scare me.
Neh 6:15-19