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Wednesday, July 23rd, 2025
the Week of Proper 11 / Ordinary 16
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Easy-to-Read Version

Nehemiah 6:2

So Sanballat and Geshem sent me this message: "Come, Nehemiah, let's meet together. We can meet in the town of Kephirim on the plain of Ono." But they were planning to hurt me.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Character;   Fellowship;   Geshem;   Ono;   Tobiah;   Thompson Chain Reference - Mischief;   Sanballat;   Treachery;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Alliance and Society with the Enemies of God;   Character of the Wicked;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Geshem or Gashmu;   Ono;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Geshem;   Plain;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Gashmu;   Ono;   Plains;   Villages;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Chephirim;   Geshem;   Goshen;   Lod;   Nehemiah;   Ono;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Geshem;   Nehemiah;   Plain;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Geshem ;   Ono ;   Sanballat ;   Tobiah ;   The Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance And Dictionary - Sanballat;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Jerusalem;   Ono;   Sanballat;   Smith Bible Dictionary - O'no;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Geshem;   Ono;   Village;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - City;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
Sanballat and Geshem sent me a message: “Come, let’s meet together in the villages of the Ono Valley.” They were planning to harm me.
Hebrew Names Version
that Sanvallat and Geshem sent to me, saying, Come, let us meet together in [one of] the villages in the plain of Ono. But they thought to do me mischief.
King James Version
That 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.
English Standard Version
Sanballat and Geshem sent to me, saying, "Come and let us meet together at Hakkephirim in the plain of Ono." But they intended to do me harm.
New Century Version
So Sanballat and Geshem sent me this message: "Come, Nehemiah, let's meet together in Kephirim on the plain of Ono." But they were planning to harm me.
New English Translation
Sanballat and Geshem sent word to me saying, "Come on! Let's set up a time to meet together at Kephirim in the plain of Ono." Now they intended to do me harm.
Amplified Bible
Sanballat and Geshem sent word to me, saying, "Come, let us meet together at Chephirim in the plain of Ono." But they were planning to harm me.
New American Standard Bible
Sanballat and Geshem sent a message to me, saying, "Come, let's meet together at Chephirim in the plain of Ono." But they were plotting to harm me.
World English Bible
that Sanballat and Geshem sent to me, saying, Come, let us meet together in [one of] the villages in the plain of Ono. But they thought to do me mischief.
Geneva Bible (1587)
Then sent Sanballat and Geshem vnto me, saying, Come thou that we may meete together in the villages in the plaine of Ono: and they thought to doe me euill.
Legacy Standard Bible
that Sanballat and Geshem sent a message to me, saying, "Come, let us meet together at Chephirim in the plain of Ono." But they were planning to do me harm.
Berean Standard Bible
Sanballat and Geshem sent me this message: "Come, let us meet together in one of the villages on the plain of Ono." But they were planning to harm me.
Contemporary English Version
Then Sanballat and Geshem sent a message, asking me to meet with them in one of the villages in Ono Valley. I knew they were planning to harm me in some way.
Complete Jewish Bible
Sanvalat and Geshem sent me a message which said, "Come, let's meet together in one of the villages of the Ono Valley." But they were planning to do me harm;
Darby Translation
that Sanballat and Geshem sent to me, saying, Come, let us meet together in the villages in the plain of Ono. But they thought to do me mischief.
George Lamsa Translation
Sanballat and Geshem sent to me, saying, Come, let us go together and encamp as a troop in the plain of Ono. But they thought to do me harm.
Good News Translation
So Sanballat and Geshem sent me a message, suggesting that I meet with them in one of the villages in the Plain of Ono. This was a trick of theirs to try to harm me.
Lexham English Bible
Sanballat and Geshem sent to me, saying, "Come and let us meet together in one of the villages in the plain of Ono." But they planned to do evil to me.
Literal Translation
Sanballat and Geshem sent to me, saying, Come, let us meet together in the villages in the plain of Ono. But they thought to do evil to me.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Saneballat and Gosem sent vnto me, sayenge: Come and let us mete together in the vyllages vpon the playne of the cite Ono. Neuertheles they thoughte to do me euell.
American Standard Version
that Sanballat and Geshem sent unto me, saying, Come, let us meet together in one of the villages in the plain of Ono. But they thought to do me mischief.
Bible in Basic English
Sanballat and Geshem sent to me saying, Come, let us have a meeting in one of the little towns in the lowland of Ono. But their purpose was to do me evil.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
Sanaballat and Gesem sent vnto me, saying: Come, that we may meete & take counsel together in the villages that are in the playne of the citie Ono. Neuerthelesse, they thought to do me euill.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
that Sanballat and Geshem sent unto me, saying: 'Come, let us meet together in one of the villages in the plain of Ono.' But they thought to do me mischief.
King James Version (1611)
That Sanballat, and Geshem sent vnto me, saying, Come, let vs meet together in some one of the villages in the plaine of Ono: But they thought to doe me mischiefe.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
that Sanaballat and Gesam sent to me, saying, Come and let us meet together in the villages in the plain of Ono. But they were plotting to do me mischief.
English Revised Version
that Sanballat and Geshem sent unto me, saying, Come, let us meet together in one of the villages in the plain of Ono. But they thought to do me mischief.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Sanaballath, and Tobie, and Gosem of Arabie senten to me, and seiden, Come thou, and smyte we boond of pees in calues, `in o feeld; forsothe thei thouyten for to do yuel to me.
Update Bible Version
that Sanballat and Geshem sent to me, saying, Come, let us meet together in [one of] the villages in the plain of Ono. But they thought to do mischief to me.
Webster's Bible Translation
That Sanballat and Geshem sent to 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.
New King James Version
that Sanballat and Geshem sent to me, saying, "Come, let us meet together among the villages in the plain of Ono." But they thought to do me harm.
New Living Translation
So Sanballat and Geshem sent a message asking me to meet them at one of the villages in the plain of Ono. But I realized they were plotting to harm me,
New Life Bible
So Sanballat and Geshem sent word to me, saying, "Come, let us meet together in one of the villages in the plain of Ono." But they were planning to hurt or kill me.
New Revised Standard
Sanballat and Geshem sent to me, saying, "Come and let us meet together in one of the villages in the plain of Ono." But they intended to do me harm.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
that Sanballat and Geshem sent unto me, saying, Come! and let us meet together in the villages, in the valley of Ono, - But, they, were plotting to do me harm.
Douay-Rheims Bible
Sanaballat and Gossem sent to me, saying: Come, and let us make a league together in the villages, in the plain of Ono. But they thought to do me mischief.
Revised Standard Version
Sanbal'lat and Geshem sent to me, saying, "Come and let us meet together in one of the villages in the plain of Ono." But they intended to do me harm.
Young's Literal Translation
that Sanballat sendeth, also Geshem, unto me, saying, `Come and we meet together in the villages, in the valley of Ono;' and they are thinking to do to me evil.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
then Sanballat and Geshem sent a message to me, saying, "Come, let us meet together at Chephirim in the plain of Ono." But they were planning to harm me.

Contextual Overview

1 Then Sanballat, Tobiah, Geshem the Arab, and our other enemies heard that I had built the wall. We repaired all the holes in the wall, but we had not yet put the doors in the gates. 2 So Sanballat and Geshem sent me this message: "Come, Nehemiah, let's meet together. We can meet in the town of Kephirim on the plain of Ono." But they were planning to hurt me. 3 So I sent messengers to them with this answer: "I am doing important work, so I cannot come down. I don't want the work to stop just so I can come down and meet with you." 4 Sanballat and Geshem sent the same message to me four times, and I sent the same answer back to them each time. 5 Then, the fifth time, Sanballat sent his helper to me with the same message. And he had a letter in his hand that was not sealed. 6 This is what the letter said: "There is a rumor going around. People are talking about it everywhere. And, by the way, Geshem says it is true. People are saying that you and the Jews are planning to turn against the king. This is why you are building the wall of Jerusalem. People are also saying that you will be the new king of the Jews. 7 And the rumor is that you have chosen prophets to announce this about you in Jerusalem: ‘There is a king in Judah!' "Now I warn you, Nehemiah, King Artaxerxes will hear about this. So come, let's meet and talk about this together." 8 So I sent this answer back to Sanballat: "Nothing you are saying is happening. You are just making all that up in your own head." 9 Our enemies were only trying to make us afraid. They are thinking to themselves, "The Jews will be afraid and too weak to keep on working. Then the wall will not be finished." But I prayed, "God, make me strong."

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Come: They wished to get him out of Jerusalem, from his friends, that they might either carry him off or murder him. 2 Samuel 3:27, 2 Samuel 20:9, Psalms 37:12, Proverbs 26:24-26, Ecclesiastes 4:4

Ono: Nehemiah 11:35, 1 Chronicles 8:12

they thought: Psalms 12:2, Psalms 37:12, Psalms 37:32, Jeremiah 41:2, Ezekiel 33:31, Micah 7:4, Micah 7:5, Luke 20:19-21

Reciprocal: Genesis 4:8 - talked Ezra 2:33 - Lod Nehemiah 2:19 - Sanballat Nehemiah 3:22 - the men of the plain Nehemiah 6:6 - Gashmu Nehemiah 6:16 - when all our enemies Nehemiah 7:37 - Lod Nehemiah 12:28 - plain

Cross-References

Genesis 3:6
The woman could see that the tree was beautiful and the fruit looked so good to eat. She also liked the idea that it would make her wise. So she took some of the fruit from the tree and ate it. Her husband was there with her, so she gave him some of the fruit, and he ate it.
Genesis 4:26
Seth also had a son. He named him Enosh. At that time people began to pray to the Lord .
Genesis 6:1
The number of people on earth continued to increase. When these people had daughters, the sons of God saw how beautiful they were. So they chose the women they wanted. They married them, and the women had their children. Then the Lord said, "People are only human. I will not let my Spirit be troubled by them forever. I will let them live only 120 years." During this time and also later, the Nephilim people lived in the land. They have been famous as powerful soldiers since ancient times.
Genesis 6:6
The Lord was sorry that he had made people on the earth. It made him very sad in his heart.
Genesis 6:7
So the Lord said, "I will destroy all the people I created on the earth. I will destroy every person and every animal and everything that crawls on the earth. And I will destroy all the birds in the air, because I am sorry that I have made them."
Genesis 6:8
But Noah pleased the Lord .
Genesis 6:13
So God said to Noah, "Everyone has filled the earth with anger and violence. So I will destroy all living things. I will remove them from the earth.
Genesis 6:14
Use cypress wood and build a boat for yourself. Make rooms in the boat and cover it with tar inside and out.
Genesis 6:16
Make a window for the boat about 1 cubit below the roof. Put a door in the side of the boat. Make three floors in the boat: a top deck, a middle deck, and a lower deck.
Genesis 6:22
Noah did everything God commanded him.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Then Sanballat and Geshem sent unto me,.... Messengers:

saying, come, let us meet together in some one of the villages; in Cephirim, which Jarchi takes to be the name of a place, perhaps the same with Cephirah, a city in the tribe of Benjamin, Joshua 18:26

in the plain of Ono; which was in the same tribe, see 1 Chronicles 8:12, they might pretend a friendly meeting, to accommodate differences between them, or to converse together about the general interest of the king of Persia in those parts:

but they thought to do me mischief; to kill him, or at least to confine him; this he either conjectured from their general character and behaviour, or he had intelligence of their design.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

The choice made of Ono, on the skirts of Benjamin, 25 or 30 miles from Jerusalem, as the meeting-place, was, no doubt, in order to draw Nehemiah to a distance from his supporters, that so an attack might be made on him with a better chance of success.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Nehemiah 6:2. Come, let us meet together in - the plain of Ono. — They wished to get him out of Jerusalem from among his friends, that they might either carry him off, or murder him. Ono is supposed to have been in the tribe of Benjamin, near Jordan.


 
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