敵人陰謀阻撓重建
1參巴拉、多比雅、阿拉伯人基善和我們其餘的敵人聽說我已修完城牆，沒有留下任何缺口——那時我還沒有為城門安上門扇—— 2參巴拉和基善就派人告訴我說：「來，我們在阿挪平原的一個村莊見面吧。」其實他們想要害我。 3我派人回覆他們說：「我正在做一件大工程，不能下去見你們。我怎能停止工作下去見你們呢？」 4他們四次派人來告訴我，每次我都這樣拒絕了。 5參巴拉第五次派人送來一封未封口的信， 6上面寫著：「各國都在謠傳，基善也說，你和猶太人計劃謀反，因而才修建城牆，據說你要做他們的王。 7你還派先知在耶路撒冷指著你預言說，『猶大有王了。』如今王必聽到這些傳聞。所以你還是來與我們一同商議吧。」 8我就派人答覆他說：「你所說的並非事實，是你心裡捏造的。」 9因為他們想恐嚇我們，以為我們會嚇得手發軟，無法完成工程。但上帝啊，求你使我的手有力量！
10我到米希達別的孫子、第來雅的兒子示瑪雅的家中，那時他正閉門不出。他對我說：「我們在上帝的殿裡會面，要關上殿門，因為他們要來殺你，要在夜間殺你。」 11但我回答說：「像我這樣的人豈能逃跑？豈能進入殿裡保命？我決不進去。」 12我察覺上帝並沒有差派他，他是被多比雅和參巴拉收買才說預言攻擊我的。 13他們收買他是為了恐嚇我，使我依從他去犯罪，好毀壞我的名聲、羞辱我。 14我的上帝啊，求你按照他們的行為報應多比雅、參巴拉、女先知挪亞底及其他恐嚇我的先知。
工程竣工
15以祿月6·15 「以祿月」即希伯來曆的六月，陽曆是八月中旬到九月中旬。二十五日城牆竣工，前後用了五十二天。 16我們的敵人和周圍各國聽說後，都感到懼怕和氣餒，因為他們知道這工作是在上帝的幫助下完成的。 17在那些日子，多比雅和猶大貴族之間多有書信來往。 18在猶大有很多人與多比雅結盟，因為他是亞拉的兒子示迦尼的女婿，他兒子約哈難又娶了比利迦的兒子米書蘭的女兒為妻。 19他們常告訴我有關多比雅的善行，並把我的話告訴他。多比雅不斷寫信恐嚇我。
1Now it came to pass, when Sanballat, and Tobiah, and Geshem the Arabian, and the rest of our enemies, heard that I had builded the wall, and that there was no breach left therein; (though at that time I had not set up the doors upon the gates;) 2That Sanballat and Geshem sent unto me, saying, Come, let us meet together in some one of the villages in the plain of Ono. But they thought to do me mischief. 3And I sent messengers unto them, saying, I am doing a great work, so that I cannot come down: why should the work cease, whilst I leave it, and come down to you? 4Yet they sent unto me four times after this sort; and I answered them after the same manner. 5Then sent Sanballat his servant unto me in like manner the fifth time with an open letter in his hand; 6Wherein was written, It is reported among the heathen, and Gashmu saith it, that thou and the Jews think to rebel: for which cause thou buildest the wall, that thou mayest be their king, according to these words.6.6 Gashmu: also called, Geshem 7And thou hast also appointed prophets to preach of thee at Jerusalem, saying, There is a king in Judah: and now shall it be reported to the king according to these words. Come now therefore, and let us take counsel together. 8Then I sent unto him, saying, There are no such things done as thou sayest, but thou feignest them out of thine own heart. 9For they all made us afraid, saying, Their hands shall be weakened from the work, that it be not done. Now therefore, O God, strengthen my hands.
10Afterward I came unto the house of Shemaiah the son of Delaiah the son of Mehetabeel, who was shut up; and he said, Let us meet together in the house of God, within the temple, and let us shut the doors of the temple: for they will come to slay thee; yea, in the night will they come to slay thee. 11And I said, Should such a man as I flee? and who is there, that, being as I am, would go into the temple to save his life? I will not go in. 12And, lo, I perceived that God had not sent him; but that he pronounced this prophecy against me: for Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him. 13Therefore was he hired, that I should be afraid, and do so, and sin, and that they might have matter for an evil report, that they might reproach me. 14My God, think thou upon Tobiah and Sanballat according to these their works, and on the prophetess Noadiah, and the rest of the prophets, that would have put me in fear.
15¶ So the wall was finished in the twenty and fifth day of the month Elul, in fifty and two days. 16And it came to pass, that when all our enemies heard thereof, and all the heathen that were about us saw these things, they were much cast down in their own eyes: for they perceived that this work was wrought of our God.
17¶ Moreover in those days the nobles of Judah sent many letters unto Tobiah, and the letters of Tobiah came unto them.6.17 sent…: Heb. multiplied their letters passing to Tobiah 18For there were many in Judah sworn unto 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. 19Also they reported his good deeds before me, and uttered my words to him. And Tobiah sent letters to put me in fear.6.19 words: or, matters
