Study Desk

When I entered the house of Shemaiah the son of Delaiah, son of Mehetabel, ^(C1)who was confined at home, he said, "Let's meet together in the house of God, within the temple, and let's close the doors of the temple, for they are coming to kill you, and they are coming to kill you at night."

But I said, "^(C1)Should a man like me flee? And who is there like me who would go into the temple ^(F1)to save his own life? I will not go in."

Then I realized ^(F1)that God certainly had not sent him, but he uttered his prophecy against me because Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him.

He was hired for this reason, ^(C1)that I would become frightened and act accordingly and sin, so that they might have an evil report in order that they could taunt me.

^(C1)Remember, my God, Tobiah and Sanballat in accordance with these works of theirs, and also Noadiah ^(C2)the prophetess and the rest of the prophets, who were trying to frighten me.

So ^(C1)the wall was completed on the twenty-fifth of the month Elul, in fifty-two days.

^(C1)When all our enemies heard about it, and all the nations surrounding us saw it, they ^(F1)lost their confidence; for ^(C2)they realized that this work had been accomplished ^(F2)with the help of our God.