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Chapter 6
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1
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Now it came to pass when Sanballat, and Tobiah, and
Geshem the Arabian, and the rest of our enemies, heard
that I had builded the wall, and that there was no breach
left therein; (though at that time I had not set up the
doors upon the gates;) |
2
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That Sanballat and Geshem sent unto me, saying, Come,
let us meet together in some one of the villages in the
plain of Ono. But they thought to do me mischief. |
3
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And I sent messengers unto them, saying, I am doing
a great work, so that I cannot come down: why should
the work cease, whilst I leave it, and come down to you? |
4
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Yet they sent unto me four times after this sort; and
I answered them after the same manner. |
5
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Then sent Sanballat his servant unto me in like manner
the fifth time with an open letter in his hand; |
6
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Wherein was written, It is reported among the heathen,
and Gashmu saith it, that thou and the Jews think to
rebel: for which cause thou buildest the wall, that thou
mayest be their king, according to these words. |
7
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And thou hast also appointed prophets to preach of
thee at Jerusalem, saying, There is a king in Judah:
and now shall it be reported to the king according to
these words. Come now therefore, and let us take counsel
together. |
8
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Then I sent unto him, saying, There are no such things
done as thou sayest, but thou feignest them out of thine
own heart. |
9
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For they all made us afraid, saying, Their hands shall
be weakened from the work, that it be not done. Now therefore,
O God, strengthen my hands. |
10
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Afterward I came unto the house of Shemaiah the son
of Delaiah the son of Mehetabeel, who was shut up; and
he said, Let us meet together in the house of God, within
the temple, and let us shut the doors of the temple:
for they will come to slay thee; yea, in the night will
they come to slay thee. |
11
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And I said, Should such a man as I flee? and who is
there, that, being as I am, would go into the temple
to save his life? I will not go in. |
12
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And, lo, I perceived that God had not sent him; but
that he pronounced this prophecy against me: for Tobiah
and Sanballat had hired him. |
13
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Therefore was he hired, that I should be afraid, and
do so, and sin, and that they might have matter for an
evil report, that they might reproach me. |
14
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My God, think thou upon Tobiah and Sanballat according
to these their works, and on the prophetess Noadiah,
and the rest of the prophets, that would have put me
in fear. |
15
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So the wall was finished in the twenty and fifth day
of the month Elul, in fifty and two days. |
16
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And it came to pass, that when all our enemies heard
thereof, and all the heathen that were about us saw these
things, they were much cast down in their own eyes: for
they perceived that this work was wrought of our God. |
17
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Moreover in those days the nobles of Judah sent many
letters unto Tobiah, and the letters of Tobiah came unto
them. |
18
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For there were many in Judah sworn unto him, because
he was the son in law of Shechaniah the son of Arah;
and his son Johanan had taken the daughter of Meshullam
the son of Berechiah. |
19
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Also they reported his good deeds before me, and uttered
my words to him. And Tobiah sent letters to put me in
fear. |
