Sanballat’s Conspiracy

1And when Sanaballat, Tobia, and Gesem the Arabian, and the other of our enemies, heard that I had builded the wall, and that there were no mo gappes therein: (howebeit at the same time had I not hanged the doores vpon the gates,) 2Sanaballat and Gesem sent vnto me, saying: Come, that we may meete & take counsel together in the villages that are in the playne of the citie Ono. Neuerthelesse, they thought to do me euill. 3And I sent messengers vnto them, saying: I haue a great businesse to do, and I can not come downe: Why should the worke ceasse, whilest I leaue it and come downe to you? 4Howbeit, they sent vnto me as good as foure times after the same maner: And I gaue them the same aunswere. 5Then sent Sanaballat his seruaunt againe vnto me the fift time, with an open letter in his hande, 6Wherein was written: It is tolde the heathen, and Gesem hath saide it, that thou and the Iewes thinke to rebel: for the which cause thou buildest the wall, that thou mayst be their king, according to these wordes: 7And hast ordayned the prophetes to preache of thee at Hierusalem, and to say, He is king of Iuda. And now shall this come to the kinges eares: come now therefore, and let vs take our counsell together. 8And I sent vnto him, saying: There is no such thing done as thou sayest, for thou fainest them out of thyne owne heart. 9For they were all minded to make vs afrayde, saying, They shall withdrawe their handes from their worke, that it shall not be finished: Nowe therefore strengthen thou my hande.

10And I came vnto the house of Semaia the sonne of Delaia, the sonne of Mehetabeel, & he had shut him selfe within, and saide: Let vs come together in the house of God, euen vnto the middest of the temple, & shut the doores of the temple, for they wyll come to slay thee, yea euen in the night wyll they come to put thee to death. 11And I saide: should any such man as I flee? Who is, that being as I am, wyll go into the temple to saue his life? I wil not go in. 12And loe, I perceaued that God hath not sent him, but that he pronounced this prophecie against me: For Tobia and Sanaballat had hired him for money. 13Therfore was he hyred, that through feare I should so do, & sinne, that they might haue an euill report of me to lay to my charge. 14My God, thinke thou vpon Tobia and Sanaballat according vnto these their workes, and on the prophetisse Noadia, and the other prophetes that would haue put me in feare.

Completion of the Wall

15And the wall was finished on the twentie and fifth day of the moneth Elul, in fiftie and two dayes. 16And when all our enemies hearde thereof, all the heathen that was about vs were afrayd, and their courage fayled them: For they perceaued that this worke came of our God. 17And at the same time were there many of the chiefe of Iuda whose letters wente vnto Tobia, and againe from Tobia vnto them. 18For there were many in Iuda that were sworne vnto him: for he was the sonne in lawe of Sechania, the sonne of Arah, and his sonne Iehonathan had the daughter of Mesullam the sonne of Barachia, 19And they spake good of him before me, and tolde him my wordes: and Tobia sent letters to put me in feare.