Now it came to pass, whenSanballat, and Tobiah, and Geshem the Arabian, and the rest of our enemies, heardthat I had builded the wall, and thatthere was no breachlefttherein; (though at thattime I had not set up the doorsupon the gates;)
ThatSanballat and Geshemsentunto me, saying, Come, let us meettogether in some one of the villages in the plain of Ono. But theythought to do me mischief.
And I sentmessengersuntothem, saying, I am doing a greatwork, so that I cannotcomedown: why should the workcease, whilst I leave it, and comedown to you?
Wherein was written, It is reportedamong the heathen, and Gashmusaith it, thatthou and the Jewsthink to rebel: for whichcausethoubuildest the wall, thatthoumayest be theirking, according to thesewords.
And thouhastalsoappointedprophets to preach of thee at Jerusalem, saying, There is a king in Judah: and now shall it be reported to the kingaccording to thesewords. Come now therefore, and let us takecounseltogether.
Afterward I cameunto the house of Shemaiah the son of Delaiah the son of Mehetabeel, who was shut up; and he said, Let us meettogether in the house of God, within the temple, and let us shut the doors of the temple: for theywillcome to slaythee; yea, in the nightwilltheycome to slaythee.
My God, thinkthouuponTobiah and Sanballataccording to thesetheirworks, and on the prophetessNoadiah, and the rest of the prophets, thatwouldhave put me in fear.
And it came to pass, thatwhen all our enemiesheardthereof, and all the heathenthatwereabout us saw thesethings, theyweremuchcastdown in their own eyes: for theyperceivedthatthiswork was wrought of our God.
For thereweremany in Judahswornunto 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.