| NET Bible | International Standard Version |
| 1When Sanballat, Tobiah, Geshem the Arab, and the rest of our enemies heard that I had rebuilt the wall and no breach remained in it (even though up to that time I had not positioned 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), |
| 2Sanballat and Geshem sent word to me saying, "Come on! Let's set up a time to meet together at Kephirim in the plain of Ono." Now they intended to do me harm. | 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 engaged in an important work, and I am unable to come down. Why should the work come to a halt when I leave it to 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 contacted me four times in this way, and I responded the same way each time. | 4They sent me this message four times, and I answered them the same way. |
| 5The fifth time that Sanballat sent his assistant to me in this way, he had 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 |
| 6Written in it were the following words: "Among the nations it is rumored (and Geshem has substantiated this) that you and the Jews have intentions of revolting, and for this reason you are building the wall. Furthermore, according to these rumors you are going to become their king. | 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, |
| 7You have also established prophets to announce in Jerusalem on your behalf, 'We have a king in Judah!' Now the king is going to hear about these rumors. So come on! Let's talk about this." | 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. |
| 8I sent word back to him, "We are not engaged in these activities you are describing. All of this is a figment of your imagination." | 8I sent word back to him, "Nothing has happened as you've claimed. You're making up these charges in your imagination." |
| 9All of them were wanting to scare us, supposing, "Their hands will grow slack from the work, and it won't get done." So now, 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!" |
| 10Then I went to the house of Shemaiah son of Delaiah, the son of Mehetabel. He was confined to his home. He said, "Let's set up a time to meet in the house of God, within the temple. Let's close the doors of the temple, for they are coming to kill you. It will surely be at night that they will come to kill you." | 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 replied, "Should a man like me run away? Would someone like me flee to the temple in order to save his life? I will not go!" | 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!" |
| 12I recognized the fact that God had not sent him, for he had spoken the prophecy against me as a hired agent of Tobiah and Sanballat. | 12I perceived that God had not sent him. Instead, Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him to pronounce this prophecy against me. |
| 13He had been hired to scare me so that I would do this and thereby sin. They would thus bring reproach on me and I would be discredited. | 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 in light of these actions of theirs--also Noadiah the prophetess and the other prophets who were trying to scare 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 day of Elul, in just fifty-two days. | 15So the wall was completed on the twenty-fifth day of Elul in 52 days. |
| 16When all our enemies heard and all the nations who were around us saw this, they were greatly disheartened. They knew 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. |
| 17In those days the aristocrats of Judah repeatedly sent letters to Tobiah, and responses from Tobiah were repeatedly coming 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 had sworn allegiance to him, because he was the son-in-law of Shecaniah son of Arah. His son Jonathan had married the daughter of Meshullam 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. |
| 19They were telling me about his good deeds and then taking back to him the things I said. Tobiah, on the other hand, sent letters in order to scare 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. |
|
