^{1 Ref} And it cometh to pass, when it hath been heard by Sanballat, and Tobiah, and by Geshem the Arabian, and by the rest of our enemies, that I have builded the wall, and there hath not been left in it a breach, (also, till that time the doors I had not set up in the gates,)

^{2 Ref} that Sanballat sendeth, also Geshem, unto me, saying, `Come and we meet together in the villages, in the valley of Ono;' and they are thinking to do to me evil.

^{3 Ref} And I send unto them messengers, saying, `A great work I am doing, and I am not able to come down; why doth the work cease when I let it alone, and have come down unto you?'

^{4 Ref} and they send unto me, according to this word, four times, and I return them `word' according to this word.

^{5 Ref} And Sanballat sendeth unto me, according to this word, a fifth time, his servant, and an open letter in his hand;

^{6 Ref} it is written in it, `Among the nations it hath been heard, and Gashmu is saying: Thou and the Jews are thinking to rebel, therefore thou art building the wall, and thou hast been to them for a king -- according to these words!

^{7 Ref} And also, prophets thou hast appointed to call for thee in Jerusalem, saying, A king `is' in Judah, and now it is heard by the king according to these words; and now come, and we take counsel together.'

^{8 Ref} And I send unto him, saying, `It hath not been according to these words that thou art saying, for from thine own heart thou art devising them;'

^{9 Ref} for all of them are making us afraid, saying, `Their hands are too feeble for the work, and it is not done;' and now, strengthen Thou my hands.

^{10 Ref} And I have entered the house of Shemaiah son of Delaiah, son of Mehetabeel -- and he is restrained -- and he saith, `Let us meet at the house of God, at the inside of the temple, and we shut the doors of the temple, for they are coming in to slay thee -- yea, by night they are coming in to slay thee.'

^{11 Ref} And I say, `A man such as I -- doth he flee? and who as I, that doth go in unto the temple, and live? -- I do not go in.'

^{12 Ref} And I discern, and lo, God hath not sent him, for in the prophecy he hath spoken unto me both Tobiah and Sanballat hired him,

^{13 Ref} so that he `is' an hireling, that I may fear and do so, and I had sinned, and it had been to them for an evil name that they may reproach me.

^{14 Ref} Be mindful, O my God, of Tobiah, and of Sanballat, according to these his works, and also, of Noadiah the prophetess, and of the rest of the prophets who have been making me afraid.