Come, let's meet together
Now when Sanballat and Tobiah and Geshem the Arabian and the rest of our enemies heard that I had built the wall and there wasn't a gap left in it — though at that time I hadn't set the doors in the gates — Sanballat and Geshem sent me a message: Come, let's meet together in one of the villages on the plain of Ono. But they were planning to do me harm. So I sent messengers to them, saying, I am doing a great work and I can't come down. Why should the work stop while I leave it and come down to you? And they sent me the same message four times, and I gave them the same answer. Then Sanballat sent his servant to me a fifth time with the same message, with an open letter in his hand. In it was written: It is reported among the nations, and Gashmu says it, that you and the Jews are planning to rebel. That is why you are building the wall, so you can be their king, according to these words. And you have appointed prophets to proclaim about you in Jerusalem, saying, There is a king in Judah. And now this will be reported to the king. So come, and let's talk it over together. Then I sent him this answer: Nothing of the sort is happening. You are making it up out of your own head. Because they were all trying to frighten us, thinking, Their hands will go slack on the work and it won't get done. But now, God, strengthen my hands.
Now when Sanballat and Tobiah and Geshem the Arab and the rest of the ones against us heard I'd built the wall and there wasn't any break left in it — though at that time I hadn't set up the doors on the gates — then Sanballat and Geshem sent to me: Come, let's meet together in one of the villages in the plain of Ono. But they meant to do me harm. And I sent messengers to them: I'm doing a great work, so I can't come down. Why should the work stop while I leave it and come down to you? And they sent to me four times the same way, and I answered them the same way. Then Sanballat sent his servant to me the fifth time the same way, with an open letter in his hand. In it was written: It's reported among the nations, and Geshem says it, that you and the Jews plan to rebel. That's why you build the wall, so you can be their king, according to these words. And you've set up prophets to call out about you at Jerusalem: There's a king in Judah. And now word will be brought to the king according to these words. So come now, and let's take counsel together. Then I sent to him: There's nothing done like what you say, but you make it up out of your own heart. Because they all made us frightened: Their hands will go weak from the work, so it won't be done. So now, God, make my hands strong.
Now it came to pass, when Sanballat, and Tobiah, and Geshem the Arabian, and the rest of our enemies, heard that I had builded the wall, and that there was no breach left therein; (though at that time I had not set up the doors upon the gates;) That Sanballat and Geshem sent unto me, saying, Come, let us meet together in some one of the villages in the plain of Ono. But they thought to do me mischief. And I sent messengers unto them, saying, I am doing a great work, so that I cannot come down: why should the work cease, whilst I leave it, and come down to you? Yet they sent unto me four times after this sort; and I answered them after the same manner. Then sent Sanballat his servant unto me in like manner the fifth time with an open letter in his hand; Wherein was written, It is reported among the heathen, and Gashmu saith it, that thou and the Jews think to rebel: for which cause thou buildest the wall, that thou mayest be their king, according to these words. And thou hast also appointed prophets to preach of thee at Jerusalem, saying, There is a king in Judah: and now shall it be reported to the king according to these words. Come now therefore, and let us take counsel together. Then I sent unto him, saying, There are no such things done as thou sayest, but thou feignest them out of thine own heart. For they all made us afraid, saying, Their hands shall be weakened from the work, that it be not done. Now therefore, O God, strengthen my hands.
Now when Sanballat and Tobiah and Geshem the Arabian and the rest of our enemies heard that I had built the wall and there wasn't a gap left in it — though at that time I hadn't set the doors in the gates —
Now when Sanballat and Tobiah and Geshem the Arab and the rest of the ones against us heard I'd built the wall and there wasn't any break left in it — though at that time I hadn't set up the doors on the gates —
Now it came to pass, when Sanballat, and Tobiah, and Geshem the Arabian, and the rest of our enemies, heard that I had builded the wall, and that there was no breach left therein; (though at that time I had not set up the doors upon the gates;)
Sanballat and Geshem sent me a message: Come, let's meet together in one of the villages on the plain of Ono. But they were planning to do me harm.
then Sanballat and Geshem sent to me: Come, let's meet together in one of the villages in the plain of Ono. But they meant to do me harm.
That Sanballat and Geshem sent unto me, saying, Come, let us meet together in some one of the villages in the plain of Ono. But they thought to do me mischief.
So I sent messengers to them, saying, I am doing a great work and I can't come down. Why should the work stop while I leave it and come down to you?
And I sent messengers to them: I'm doing a great work, so I can't come down. Why should the work stop while I leave it and come down to you?
And I sent messengers unto them, saying, I am doing a great work, so that I cannot come down: why should the work cease, whilst I leave it, and come down to you?
And they sent me the same message four times, and I gave them the same answer.
And they sent to me four times the same way, and I answered them the same way.
Yet they sent unto me four times after this sort; and I answered them after the same manner.
Then Sanballat sent his servant to me a fifth time with the same message, with an open letter in his hand.
Then Sanballat sent his servant to me the fifth time the same way, with an open letter in his hand.
Then sent Sanballat his servant unto me in like manner the fifth time with an open letter in his hand;
In it was written: It is reported among the nations, and Gashmu says it, that you and the Jews are planning to rebel. That is why you are building the wall, so you can be their king, according to these words.
In it was written: It's reported among the nations, and Geshem says it, that you and the Jews plan to rebel. That's why you build the wall, so you can be their king, according to these words.
Wherein was written, It is reported among the heathen, and Gashmu saith it, that thou and the Jews think to rebel: for which cause thou buildest the wall, that thou mayest be their king, according to these words.
And you have appointed prophets to proclaim about you in Jerusalem, saying, There is a king in Judah. And now this will be reported to the king. So come, and let's talk it over together.
And you've set up prophets to call out about you at Jerusalem: There's a king in Judah. And now word will be brought to the king according to these words. So come now, and let's take counsel together.
And thou hast also appointed prophets to preach of thee at Jerusalem, saying, There is a king in Judah: and now shall it be reported to the king according to these words. Come now therefore, and let us take counsel together.
Then I sent him this answer: Nothing of the sort is happening. You are making it up out of your own head.
Then I sent to him: There's nothing done like what you say, but you make it up out of your own heart.
Then I sent unto him, saying, There are no such things done as thou sayest, but thou feignest them out of thine own heart.
Because they were all trying to frighten us, thinking, Their hands will go slack on the work and it won't get done. But now, God, strengthen my hands.
Because they all made us frightened: Their hands will go weak from the work, so it won't be done. So now, God, make my hands strong.
For they all made us afraid, saying, Their hands shall be weakened from the work, that it be not done. Now therefore, O God, strengthen my hands.
The wall finished
Afterwards I came to the house of Shemaiah son of Delaiah, son of Mehetabeel, who was shut in. And he said, Let's meet in the house of God, inside the temple, and shut the temple doors — because they are coming to kill you. They are coming at night to kill you. And I said, Should a man like me run away? And who is there like me who would go into the temple to save his life? I won't go in. And I saw that God hadn't sent him, but that he had spoken this prophecy against me because Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him. He was hired to frighten me into doing this and sinning, so they would have grounds for an evil report and could disgrace me. Remember Tobiah and Sanballat, my God, for what they have done — and the prophetess Noadiah too, and the rest of the prophets who were trying to frighten me. So the wall was finished on the twenty-fifth day of the month Elul, in fifty-two days. And when all our enemies heard about it, and all the nations around us saw it, they lost a good deal of their confidence — because they realised this work had been done by our God. And in those days the nobles of Judah were sending plenty of letters to Tobiah, and letters from Tobiah kept coming back to them. Because many in Judah were under oath to him, since he was the son-in-law of Shechaniah son of Arah, and his son Johanan had married the daughter of Meshullam son of Berechiah. They also kept telling me what a good man he was, and reporting my words back to him. And Tobiah sent letters to frighten me.
After that I came to the house of Shemaiah son of Delaiah son of Mehetabel, who was shut in. And he said: Let's meet together in the house of God, inside the temple, and let's shut the doors of the temple. Because they'll come to kill you. Yes, they'll come at night to kill you. And I said: Should a man like me run? And who is there like me who'd go into the temple to save his life? I won't go in. And there — I saw that God hadn't sent him, but he'd said this prophecy against me because Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him. That's why he was hired — so I'd be frightened and do that and sin, and so they'd have something for a bad report, so they could shame me. My God, think about Tobiah and Sanballat according to these works of theirs, and about the prophet Noadiah and the rest of the prophets who wanted to make me frightened. So the wall was finished on the twenty-fifth of Elul, in fifty-two days. And when all the ones against us heard about it and all the nations round us saw it, they were badly cast down in their own eyes. Because they saw this work was done by our God. What's more, in those days the nobles of Judah sent plenty of letters to Tobiah, and Tobiah's letters came to them. Because there were plenty in Judah sworn to him, because he was the son-in-law of Shekaniah son of Arah, and his son Jehohanan had taken the daughter of Meshullam son of Berekiah. They spoke of his good deeds in front of me too and told him my words. And Tobiah sent letters to make me frightened.
Afterward I came unto the house of Shemaiah the son of Delaiah the son of Mehetabeel, who was shut up; and he said, Let us meet together in the house of God, within the temple, and let us shut the doors of the temple: for they will come to slay thee; yea, in the night will they come to slay thee. And I said, Should such a man as I flee? and who is there, that, being as I am, would go into the temple to save his life? I will not go in. And, lo, I perceived that God had not sent him; but that he pronounced this prophecy against me: for Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him. Therefore was he hired, that I should be afraid, and do so, and sin, and that they might have matter for an evil report, that they might reproach me. My God, think thou upon Tobiah and Sanballat according to these their works, and on the prophetess Noadiah, and the rest of the prophets, that would have put me in fear. So the wall was finished in the twenty and fifth day of the month Elul, in fifty and two days. And it came to pass, that when all our enemies heard thereof, and all the heathen that were about us saw these things, they were much cast down in their own eyes: for they perceived that this work was wrought of our God. Moreover in those days the nobles of Judah sent many letters unto Tobiah, and the letters of Tobiah came unto them. For there were many in Judah sworn unto him, because he was the son in law of Shechaniah the son of Arah; and his son Johanan had taken the daughter of Meshullam the son of Berechiah. Also they reported his good deeds before me, and uttered my words to him. And Tobiah sent letters to put me in fear.
Afterwards I came to the house of Shemaiah son of Delaiah, son of Mehetabeel, who was shut in. And he said, Let's meet in the house of God, inside the temple, and shut the temple doors — because they are coming to kill you. They are coming at night to kill you.
After that I came to the house of Shemaiah son of Delaiah son of Mehetabel, who was shut in. And he said: Let's meet together in the house of God, inside the temple, and let's shut the doors of the temple. Because they'll come to kill you. Yes, they'll come at night to kill you.
Afterward I came unto the house of Shemaiah the son of Delaiah the son of Mehetabeel, who was shut up; and he said, Let us meet together in the house of God, within the temple, and let us shut the doors of the temple: for they will come to slay thee; yea, in the night will they come to slay thee.
And I said, Should a man like me run away? And who is there like me who would go into the temple to save his life? I won't go in.
And I said: Should a man like me run? And who is there like me who'd go into the temple to save his life? I won't go in.
And I said, Should such a man as I flee? and who is there, that, being as I am, would go into the temple to save his life? I will not go in.
And I saw that God hadn't sent him, but that he had spoken this prophecy against me because Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him.
And there — I saw that God hadn't sent him, but he'd said this prophecy against me because Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him.
And, lo, I perceived that God had not sent him; but that he pronounced this prophecy against me: for Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him.
He was hired to frighten me into doing this and sinning, so they would have grounds for an evil report and could disgrace me.
That's why he was hired — so I'd be frightened and do that and sin, and so they'd have something for a bad report, so they could shame me.
Therefore was he hired, that I should be afraid, and do so, and sin, and that they might have matter for an evil report, that they might reproach me.
Remember Tobiah and Sanballat, my God, for what they have done — and the prophetess Noadiah too, and the rest of the prophets who were trying to frighten me.
My God, think about Tobiah and Sanballat according to these works of theirs, and about the prophet Noadiah and the rest of the prophets who wanted to make me frightened.
My God, think thou upon Tobiah and Sanballat according to these their works, and on the prophetess Noadiah, and the rest of the prophets, that would have put me in fear.
So the wall was finished on the twenty-fifth day of the month Elul, in fifty-two days.
So the wall was finished on the twenty-fifth of Elul, in fifty-two days.
So the wall was finished in the twenty and fifth day of the month Elul, in fifty and two days.
And when all our enemies heard about it, and all the nations around us saw it, they lost a good deal of their confidence — because they realised this work had been done by our God.
And when all the ones against us heard about it and all the nations round us saw it, they were badly cast down in their own eyes. Because they saw this work was done by our God.
And it came to pass, that when all our enemies heard thereof, and all the heathen that were about us saw these things, they were much cast down in their own eyes: for they perceived that this work was wrought of our God.
And in those days the nobles of Judah were sending plenty of letters to Tobiah, and letters from Tobiah kept coming back to them.
What's more, in those days the nobles of Judah sent plenty of letters to Tobiah, and Tobiah's letters came to them.
Moreover in those days the nobles of Judah sent many letters unto Tobiah, and the letters of Tobiah came unto them.
Because many in Judah were under oath to him, since he was the son-in-law of Shechaniah son of Arah, and his son Johanan had married the daughter of Meshullam son of Berechiah.
Because there were plenty in Judah sworn to him, because he was the son-in-law of Shekaniah son of Arah, and his son Jehohanan had taken the daughter of Meshullam son of Berekiah.
For there were many in Judah sworn unto him, because he was the son in law of Shechaniah the son of Arah; and his son Johanan had taken the daughter of Meshullam the son of Berechiah.
They also kept telling me what a good man he was, and reporting my words back to him. And Tobiah sent letters to frighten me.
They spoke of his good deeds in front of me too and told him my words. And Tobiah sent letters to make me frightened.
Also they reported his good deeds before me, and uttered my words to him. And Tobiah sent letters to put me in fear.