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The Book of Nehemiah, Chapter 6
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1 |
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;)
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2 |
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.
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3 |
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?
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4 |
Yet they sent unto me four times after
this sort; and I answered them after the same manner.
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5 |
Then sent Sanballat his servant unto me in like manner the fifth
time with an open letter in his hand;
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6 |
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.
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7 |
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.
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8 |
Then I sent unto him, saying, There are no such things done as
thou sayest, but thou feignest them out of thine own heart.
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9 |
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.
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10 |
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.
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11 |
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.
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12 |
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.
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13 |
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.
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14 |
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.
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15 |
So the wall was finished in the twenty and fifth day of the month
Elul, in fifty and two days.
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16 |
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.
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17 |
Moreover in those days the nobles of Judah sent many letters unto
Tobiah, and the letters of Tobiah came unto them.
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18 |
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.
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19 |
Also they reported his good deeds before me, and uttered my words
to him. And Tobiah sent letters to put me in fear.
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