3. So I sent messengers to them, saying, “I am doing a great work and I am not able to come down. Why should the work stop while I leave it and come down to you all?”
4. And they sent a message to me four times like this, and I returned an answer like this to them.
5. And Sanballat sent his servant with an open letter, another word like this to me a fifth time, in his hand.
6. In it was written, “It has been reported among the nations, and Gashmu also is saying it, that you and the Jews are considering rebellion. Therefore, truly you are building the wall and you are becoming their king, according to these words.
7. You have also set up prophets to proclaim in Jerusalem concerning you, saying, ‘There is a king in Judah.’ And now it will be proclaimed to the king according to these words. Now, come and we will plan together.”
8. So I sent to him saying, “None of these words you have spoken has happened. You are indeed saying things created in your own mind”—
9. for all of them sought to frighten us, saying, “their hands will not do the work.” And now, God, strengthen my hands.
10. Now I went into the house of Shemaiah son of Delaiah, son of Mehetabel, who was confined at home, and he said, “Let us meet in the house of God, inside the temple, and let us close the doors of the temple; for they are coming to kill you—during the night they are coming to kill you.”
11. But I said, “Should a man like me run away? And would a man like me go into the temple so that he can save his life? I will not go in!”
12. Then I look and realized God had not sent him; rather, he had spoken the prophecy against me because Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him.