Sanballat’s Conspiracy
With the wall nearly finished, Sanballat and Geshem try to draw Nehemiah away to a meeting on the plain of Ono. Nehemiah refuses to leave the work, and when they repeat the request, he keeps the same answer.
W1hen Sanballat, Tobiah, Geshem the Arab, and the rest of our enemies heard that I had rebuilt the wall and not a gap was left— though to that time I had not yet installed the doors in the gates— 2Sanballat and Geshem sent me this message: “Come, let us meet together in one of the villages on the plain of Ono.” 3So I sent messengers to them, saying, “I am doing a great work and cannot come down. Why should the work stop while I leave it to go down to you?” 4Four times they sent me the same message, and each time I gave the same reply.
An open letter spreads rumors that Nehemiah is rebuilding in order to rebel and become king. Nehemiah denies the charge plainly and recognizes the rumor as an attempt to frighten the builders into stopping.
5The fifth time, Sanballat sent me this same message by his young servant, who had in his hand an unsealed letter 6that read: 7“It is reported among the nations— and Geshem agrees— that you and the Jews are plotting to revolt, and this is why you are building the wall. According to these reports, you are to become their king, and you have even appointed prophets in Jerusalem to proclaim on your behalf: ‘There is a king in Judah.’ Soon these rumors will reach the ears of the king. So come, let us confer together.” 8Then I sent him this reply: “There is nothing to these rumors you are spreading; you are inventing them in your own mind.” 9For they were all trying to frighten us, saying, “Their hands will be weakened in the work, and it will never be finished.”
A prophet-for-hire urges Nehemiah to hide in the temple, but Nehemiah refuses to save himself by an act that would bring sin and disgrace. Seeing the plot clearly, he asks God to remember those who tried to intimidate him.
10Later, I went to the house of Shemaiah son of Delaiah, the son of Mehetabel, who was confined to his house. He said: 11But I replied, “Should a man like me run away? Should one like me go into the temple to save his own life? I will not go!” 12I realized that God had not sent him, but that he had uttered this prophecy against me because Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him. 13He had been hired to intimidate me so that I would sin by doing as he suggested, so they could give me a bad name in order to discredit me. 14O my God, remember Tobiah and Sanballat for what they have done, and also Noadiah the prophetess and the other prophets who tried to intimidate me.