1 ARST Sanballat, Tobiah, Geshem the Arabian, and our other enemies learned that we had finished rebuilding the wall, and that there were now no more gaps in it.(However, we had not yet put the doors in the gates.) BSB BSB: When Sanballat, Tobiah, Geshem the Arab, and the rest of our enemies heard that I had rebuilt the wall and not a gap was left—though to that time I had not yet installed the doors in the gates—
2 ARST So Sanballat and Geshem sent me{ a message that} said,“We want to arrange to meet with you in one of the villages in the plain of Ono.” But{ I knew that they were saying this because} they wanted to harm me. BSB BSB: Sanballat and Geshem sent me this message: “Come, let us meet together in one of the villages on the plain of Ono.” But they were planning to harm me.
3 ARST So I sent messengers to tell them,“The work I am doing{ here} is very important. I am not able to travel{ while it is going on}. There is no reason for me to stop the work and leave it so that I can meet with you.” BSB BSB: So I sent messengers to them, saying, “I am doing a great work and cannot come down. Why should the work stop while I leave it to go down to you?”
4 ARST They sent me the same message four times, and{ each time} I refused them for this same reason. BSB BSB: Four times they sent me the same message, and each time I gave the same reply.
5 ARST Then Sanballat sent one of his servants to me bringing the same request for a fifth time. This time the message was written, but it was not sealed. Sanballat{ left the letter unsealed so that others would find out what it said, because he wanted to pressure me to meet with him}. BSB BSB: The fifth time, Sanballat sent me this same message by his young servant, who had in his hand an unsealed letter
6 ARST The letter said,“{ The people in} the countries{ around us} are saying, and Geshem confirms{ that it is true}, that you and the Jewish people are planning to rebel{ against King Artaxerxes}. That is why you are rebuilding the wall.{ They are also} saying that you intend to become the king of the Jews yourself. BSB BSB: that read: “It is reported among the nations—and Geshem agrees—that you and the Jews are plotting to revolt, and this is why you are building the wall. According to these reports, you are to become their king,
7 ARST { These people are} also{ saying that} you have appointed prophets to make a proclamation about you in Jerusalem. They are saying,‘The Jews{ now} have a king{ of their own}!’ King Artaxerxes will certainly hear these reports,{ and when he does, he will be very angry with you}. So we really should meet together and talk{ about this}.” BSB BSB: and you have even appointed prophets in Jerusalem to proclaim on your behalf: ‘There is a king in Judah.’ Soon these rumors will reach the ears of the king. So come, let us confer together.”
8 ARST I sent{ a message} back to him saying,“None of these things that you are saying are true. You are just making them up yourself.” BSB BSB: Then I sent him this reply: “There is nothing to these rumors you are spreading; you are inventing them in your own mind.”
9 ARST I knew that they were all{ just trying to} frighten us. They thought,“{ The Jews will become so afraid that} they will stop working{ on the wall}, and they will never finish{ rebuilding it}.” So{ I prayed,“O God,} give me courage.{”} BSB BSB: For they were all trying to frighten us, saying, “Their hands will be weakened in the work, and it will never be finished.” But now, my God, strengthen my hands.
10 ARST { Around this time} I went to visit Shemaiah, the son of Delaiah and grandson of Mehetabel.{ I went to see him in his home, because} he was not leaving{ his house}. He was a priest, and he was trying to show that it was not safe for Jewish leaders to go out in public. He told me,“{ We are not safe even here.} We need to go into the temple and lock the doors, because people are trying to kill you. One night they are going to come and kill you.” BSB BSB: Later, I went to the house of Shemaiah son of Delaiah, the son of Mehetabel, who was confined to his house. He said: “Let us meet at the house of God inside the temple. Let us shut the temple doors because they are coming to kill you—by night they are coming to kill you!”
11 ARST I responded,“I am not the kind of man who would run away! Besides, I am the governor,{ and everyone knows me,} so I could not save my life by{ trying to} hide in the temple. I refuse to do it!” BSB BSB: But I replied, “Should a man like me run away? Should one like me go into the temple to save his own life? I will not go!”
12 ARST All of a sudden I realized that God had not given Shemaiah a prophetic message for me. Instead, he was saying these things because Tobiah and Sanballat had paid him{ to say them}. BSB BSB: I realized that God had not sent him, but that he had uttered this prophecy against me because Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him.
13 ARST { They} had paid him the money specifically to{ say things that} would scare me. They were hoping they could make me sin{ by abandoning my responsibilities and hiding in the temple}.{ If I had done that,} they would have ruined my reputation and discredited me. BSB BSB: He had been hired to intimidate me so that I would sin by doing as he suggested, so they could give me a bad name in order to discredit me.
14 ARST { So I prayed,}“My God, treat Tobiah and Sanballat the way they deserve for what they have done. Do the same for the female prophet Noadiah and all the other prophets who are{ trying to} make me afraid.” BSB BSB: O my God, remember Tobiah and Sanballat for what they have done, and also Noadiah the prophetess and the other prophets who tried to intimidate me.
15 ARST We finished{ rebuilding} the wall on the twenty- fifth{ day} of the month of Elul, after{ working on it} for 52 days. BSB BSB: So the wall was completed in fifty-two days, on the twenty-fifth of Elul.
16 ARST When all of our enemies learned that we had completed the rebuilding in such a short time, they realized that our God must have helped{ us}. This made the people in the countries around us lose all of their confidence. BSB BSB: When all our enemies heard about this, all the surrounding nations were afraid and disheartened, for they realized that this task had been accomplished by our God.
17 ARST During this time, the leading citizens of Judah were writing many letters to Tobiah{ to give him information about me}, and he was sending letters back to them{ with instructions}. BSB BSB: Also in those days, the nobles of Judah sent many letters to Tobiah, and Tobiah’s letters kept coming to them.
18 ARST Tobiah was married to the daughter of{ a powerful and influential member of the community,} Shecaniah the son of Arah. His son Jehohanan was married to the daughter of{ another powerful and influential man,} Meshullam the son of Berechiah. And so, for those reasons, many people in Judah had sworn oaths to{ be loyal to} Tobiah. BSB BSB: For many in Judah were bound by oath to him, since he was a son-in-law of Shecaniah son of Arah, and his son Jehohanan had married the daughter of Meshullam son of Berechiah.
19 ARST { The people who were loyal to Tobiah} would also{ come and} tell me what good things he was doing, and then they would report to him everything I said{ in response}. Tobiah also sent me many letters to try to make me afraid. BSB BSB: Moreover, these nobles kept reporting to me Tobiah’s good deeds, and they relayed my words to him. And Tobiah sent letters to intimidate me.
Select verses for actions: Enter goes to them and Escape comes back.