Nehemiah 6 in plain modern English. New Ground English Translation.

When word reached Sanballat, Tobiah, Geshem the Arab, and the rest of our enemies that I had rebuilt the wall and no gap remained in it—though at that point I still hadn't set the doors in the gates—

Sanballat and Geshem sent me a message: "Come, let's meet together in one of the villages on the plain of Ono." But they were planning to do me harm.

So I sent messengers back to them: "I'm doing important work and can't come down. Why should the work stop while I leave it and come down to you?"

They sent me the same message four times, and I gave them the same answer each time.

Then Sanballat sent his servant to me a fifth time with an open letter in his hand.

In it was written: "The word among the nations—and Geshem confirms it—is that you and the Jews are planning to rebel. That's why you're building the wall. And according to these reports, you intend to become their king.

You've even appointed prophets to proclaim about you in Jerusalem, saying, 'There is a king in Judah!' Now, this report will reach the king. So come, let's talk this over together."

I sent him this reply: "Nothing like what you're saying is happening. You're making it up out of your own head."

They were all trying to intimidate us, thinking, "Their hands will get too weak for the work, and it won't get done." But now, God, strengthen my hands.

I went to the house of Shemaiah son of Delaiah, son of Mehetabel, who had shut himself in. He said, "Let's meet in the house of God, inside the temple, and shut the doors of the temple, because men are coming to kill you — they're coming to kill you tonight."

But I said, "Should a man like me run away? And should someone like me go into the temple just to save his life? I won't go."

I realized that God had not sent him, but that he had prophesied against me because Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him.

He had been hired to make me afraid so I would do what he said and fail—giving them a reason to ruin my reputation and discredit me.

"Remember Tobiah and Sanballat, my God, for what they've done. And also the prophetess Noadiah and the rest of the prophets who have been trying to intimidate me."

The wall was completed on the twenty-fifth of Elul — in just fifty-two days.

When all our enemies heard about it, and all the surrounding nations saw it, they lost their confidence. They knew that this work had been accomplished with the help of our God.

Also in those days, the nobles of Judah were sending many letters to Tobiah, and Tobiah's letters kept coming to them.

Many people in Judah were bound by oath to him, because he was the son-in-law of Shecaniah son of Arah, and his son Jehohanan had married the daughter of Meshullam son of Berechiah.

They also kept telling me about his good deeds and reporting my words back to him. And Tobiah kept sending letters to intimidate me.