| New American Standard Bible 1995 | International Standard Version |
| 1Now when it was reported to Sanballat, Tobiah, to Geshem the Arab and to the rest of our enemies that I had rebuilt the wall, and that no breach remained in it, although at that time I had not set up the doors in the gates, | 1When Sanballat, Tobiah, Geshem the Arab, and the rest of our enemies heard that I had completed the wall and that no break remained in it (even though by that time I hadn't yet installed the doors in the gates), |
| 2then Sanballat and Geshem sent a message to me, saying, "Come, let us meet together at Chephirim in the plain of Ono." But they were planning to harm me. | 2Sanballat and Geshem sent word to me, saying "Come, let's meet together at Kephirim on the Ono Plain." But they were just trying to do me harm. |
| 3So I sent messengers to them, saying, "I am doing a great work and I cannot come down. Why should the work stop while I leave it and come down to you?" | 3So I sent messengers to them, replying "I am involved in a great endeavor, so I can't leave. Why should the work stop while I leave it to come down to you?" |
| 4They sent messages to me four times in this manner, and I answered them in the same way. | 4They sent me this message four times, and I answered them the same way. |
| 5Then Sanballat sent his servant to me in the same manner a fifth time with an open letter in his hand. | 5Then Sanballat sent his assistant to me the fifth time. But this time the letter was sent unsealed, and |
| 6In it was written, "It is reported among the nations, and Gashmu says, that you and the Jews are planning to rebel; therefore you are rebuilding the wall. And you are to be their king, according to these reports. | 6in it was written: It is reported among the nations—and Gashmu confirms this—that you and the Jews are planning a revolt, and that you're rebuilding the wall in order to declare yourself king. According to these reports, |
| 7"You have also appointed prophets to proclaim in Jerusalem concerning you, 'A king is in Judah!' And now it will be reported to the king according to these reports. So come now, let us take counsel together." | 7you also have appointed prophets to proclaim about you in Jerusalem, "There is a king in Judah!" Since these words are being reported to the king, come and let's meet together. |
| 8Then I sent a message to him saying, "Such things as you are saying have not been done, but you are inventing them in your own mind." | 8I sent word back to him, "Nothing has happened as you've claimed. You're making up these charges in your imagination." |
| 9For all of them were trying to frighten us, thinking, "They will become discouraged with the work and it will not be done." But now, O God, strengthen my hands. | 9For they all were trying to make us afraid by saying, "Their hands will become tired from laboring, so the work won't be completed." "Therefore, LORD, strengthen my hands!" |
| 10When I entered the house of Shemaiah the son of Delaiah, son of Mehetabel, who was confined at home, he said, "Let us meet together in the house of God, within the temple, and let us close the doors of the temple, for they are coming to kill you, and they are coming to kill you at night." | 10Later I visited Delaiah's son Shemaiah, a grandson of Mehetabel, who was confined at home. He kept urging me, "Let's meet together at the house of God, within the Temple, and take refuge there, because they're coming to kill you. In fact, they're coming at night to kill you!" |
| 11But I said, "Should a man like me flee? And could one such as I go into the temple to save his life? I will not go in." | 11But I asked him, "Should a man like me run? Should someone like me run into the Temple to save his life? I won't go there!" |
| 12Then I perceived that surely God had not sent him, but he uttered his prophecy against me because Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him. | 12I perceived that God had not sent him. Instead, Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him to pronounce this prophecy against me. |
| 13He was hired for this reason, that I might become frightened and act accordingly and sin, so that they might have an evil report in order that they could reproach me. | 13He had been hired to make me afraid so I would sin by doing what he suggested. Then they could create a slanderous report to use against me. |
| 14Remember, O my God, Tobiah and Sanballat according to these works of theirs, and also Noadiah the prophetess and the rest of the prophets who were trying to frighten me. | 14"Remember me, my God, and take note of what Tobiah and Sanballat are doing. Also take note of the prophetess Noadiah and the rest of the prophets who intend to make me afraid." |
| 15So the wall was completed on the twenty-fifth of the month Elul, in fifty-two days. | 15So the wall was completed on the twenty-fifth day of Elul in 52 days. |
| 16When all our enemies heard of it, and all the nations surrounding us saw it, they lost their confidence; for they recognized that this work had been accomplished with the help of our God. | 16When all of our enemies—including the surrounding nations—heard this, they became very discouraged, since they saw that the work had been done by our God. |
| 17Also in those days many letters went from the nobles of Judah to Tobiah, and Tobiah's letters came to them. | 17Meanwhile, at that time the nobles of Judah continued to send many letters to Tobiah, and Tobiah kept sending letters to them. |
| 18For many in Judah were bound by oath to him because he was the son-in-law of Shecaniah the son of Arah, and his son Jehohanan had married the daughter of Meshullam the son of Berechiah. | 18For many Judeans had sworn allegiance to him, since he was son-in-law to Arah's son Shecaniah, and his son Jehohanan had married the daughter of Berechiah's son Meshullam. |
| 19Moreover, they were speaking about his good deeds in my presence and reported my words to him. Then Tobiah sent letters to frighten me. | 19Furthermore, they kept reporting Tobiah's good deeds to me, and kept repeating what I told him. Tobiah kept sending letters to intimidate me. |
| New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit //www.lockman.org | The Holy Bible: International Standard Version® Release 2.1 Copyright © 1996-2012 The ISV Foundation
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