1. And it came to be when Sanballat, and Toḇiyah, and Geshem the Araḇ, and the rest of our enemies heard that I had rebuilt the wall, and that there were no breaks left in it – though at that time I had not set up the doors in the gates –
2. that Sanballat and Geshem sent to me, saying, “Come, let us meet together in the villages in the plain of Ono.” But they were planning to do evil to me.
3. So I sent messengers to them, saying, “I am doing a great work, and I am unable to come down. Why should the work cease while I leave it and come down to you?”
4. However, they sent me the same word four times, and I answered them the same word.
5. Then Sanballat sent his servant to me with an open letter in his hand, the same word, the fifth time.