Bible Reading Plan

Chapter 6

Attempts to Discourage the Builders

¹ When Sanballat, Tobiah, Geshem the Arab, and the rest of our enemies^(a) heard that I had rebuilt the wall and that no gap was left in it^(b)—though at that time I had not installed the doors in the gates^(c)— ² Sanballat and Geshem^(d) sent me a message: "Come, let's meet together in the villages of^[a] the Ono Valley."^(e) But they were planning to harm me.

³ So I sent messengers to them, saying, "I am doing a great work and cannot come down. Why should the work cease while I leave it and go down to you?" ⁴ Four times they sent me the same proposal, and I gave them the same reply.

⁵ Sanballat^(f) sent me this same message a fifth time by his aide, who had an open letter in his hand. ⁶ In it was written:

⁸ Then I replied to him, "There is nothing to these rumors you are spreading; you are inventing them in your own mind."^{(i) 9} For they were all trying to intimidate^(j) us, saying, "They will become discouraged^[c] in the work,^(k) and it will never be finished."

But now, my God, strengthen me.^[d](l)

Attempts to Intimidate Nehemiah

¹⁰ I went to the house of Shemaiah son of Delaiah, son of Mehetabel, who was restricted to his house. He said:

¹¹ But I said, "Should a man like me run away? How can I enter the temple and live?^(m) I will not go." ¹² I realized that God had not sent him, because of the prophecy he spoke against me. Tobiah and Sanballat⁽ⁿ⁾ had hired him. ¹³ He was hired, so that I would be intimidated,^(o) do as he suggested, sin, and get a bad reputation, in order that they could discredit me.

¹⁴ My God, remember^(p) Tobiah and Sanballat for what they have done, and also Noadiah the prophetess^(q) and the other prophets who wanted to intimidate me.

The Wall Completed

¹⁵ The wall was completed^(r) in 52 days, on the twenty-fifth day of the month Elul.^{(s) 16} When all our enemies^(t) heard this, all the surrounding nations were intimidated^(u) and lost their confidence,^[f] for they realized that this task had been accomplished by our God.^(v)

¹⁷ During those days, the nobles of Judah sent many letters to Tobiah,^(w) and Tobiah's letters came to them. ¹⁸ For many in Judah were bound by oath^(x) to him, since he was a son-in-law of Shecaniah son of Arah, and his son Jehohanan had married the daughter of Meshullam^(y) son of Berechiah. ¹⁹ These nobles kept mentioning Tobiah's good deeds to me, and they reported my words to him. And Tobiah sent letters to intimidate^(z) me.