Lectionary Calendar
Thursday, April 16th, 2026
the Second Week after Easter
Attention!
Take your personal ministry to the Next Level by helping StudyLight build churches and supporting pastors in Uganda.
Click here to join the effort!

Read the Bible

New American Standard Bible

Nehemiah 6:2

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.

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.
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.
Easy-to-Read Version
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.
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 Now when it was reported to Sanballat, Tobiah, Geshem the Arab, and to the rest of our enemies that I had rebuilt the wall, and that no breach was left in it, although at that time I had not installed the doors in the gates, 2 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.3 So I sent messengers to them, saying, "I am doing a great work and am unable to come down. Why should the work stop while I leave it and come down to you?" 4 Then they sent messages to me four times worded in this way, and I answered them with the same wording. 5 Then Sanballat sent his servant to me in the same way a fifth time with an open letter in his hand. 6 In it was written: "It is reported among the nations, and Gashmu says, that you and the Jews intend to rebel; for that reason you are rebuilding the wall. And you are to be their king, according to these reports. 7 "You have also appointed prophets to proclaim in Jerusalem concerning you, 'A king is in Judah!' And now it will be reported to the king according to these reports. So come now, let's consult together." 8 Then I sent a message to him saying, "Nothing like these things that you are saying has been done, but you are inventing them in your own mind." 9 For all of them were trying to frighten us, thinking, "They will become discouraged with the work and it will not be done." But now, God, strengthen my hands.

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
When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was desirable to make one wise, she took some of its fruit and ate; and she also gave some to her husband with her, and he ate.
Genesis 4:26
To Seth also a son was born; and he named him Enosh. Then people began to call upon the name of the LORD.
Genesis 6:1
Now it came about, when mankind began to multiply on the face of the land, and daughters were born to them,
Genesis 6:2
that the sons of God saw that the daughters of mankind were beautiful; and they took wives for themselves, whomever they chose.
Genesis 6:3
Then the LORD said, "My Spirit will not remain with man forever, because he is also flesh; nevertheless his days shall be 120 years."
Genesis 6:4
The Nephilim were on the earth in those days, and also afterward, when the sons of God came in to the daughters of mankind, and they bore children to them. Those were the mighty men who were of old, men of renown.
Genesis 6:6
So the LORD was sorry that He had made mankind on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart.
Genesis 6:7
Then the LORD said, "I will wipe out mankind whom I have created from the face of the land; mankind, and animals as well, and crawling things, and the birds of the sky. For I am sorry that I have made them."
Genesis 6:8
But Noah found favor in the eyes of the LORD.
Genesis 6:12
And God looked on the earth, and behold, it was corrupt; for humanity had corrupted its way upon the earth.

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.


 
adsfree-icon
Ads FreeProfile