6:1 When 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), 6:2 Sanballat and Geshem sent word to me saying, “Come on! Let’s set up a time to meet together at Kephirim 1 in the plain of Ono.” Now they intended to do me harm.
6:3 So I sent messengers to them saying, “I am engaged in 2 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?” 6:4 They contacted 3 me four times in this way, and I responded the same way each time. 4
6:5 The fifth time that Sanballat sent his assistant to me in this way, he had an open letter in his hand. 6:6 Written in it were the following words:
“Among the nations it is rumored 5 (and Geshem 6 has substantiated 7 this) that you and the Jews have intentions of revolting, and for this reason you are building the wall. Furthermore, according to these rumors 8 you are going to become their king. 6:7 You have also established prophets to announce 9 in Jerusalem 10 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.” 11
6:8 I sent word back to him, “We are not engaged in these activities you are describing. 12 All of this is a figment of your imagination.” 13
6:9 All of them were wanting 14 to scare us, supposing, “Their hands will grow slack from the work, and it won’t get done.”
So now, strengthen my hands! 15