1Now it came to pass, when it was reported to Sanvalat and Tov-Yah, and to Geshem the Arvi, and unto the rest of our enemies, that I had built the wall, and that there was no breach left therein, though even unto that time I had not set up the doors in the gates, 2that Sanvalat and Geshem sent unto me, saying, “Come, let us meet together in one of the villages in the plain of Onoh.” 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, while I leave it, and come down to you?” 4And they sent unto me four times after this sort; and I answered them after the same manner. 5Then sent Sanvalat 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 nations, and Geshem says it, that you and the Yehudim think to rebel; for which cause you build the wall; and you would be their king, even according to these words. 7And you have also appointed Nevi’im to proclaim of you at Yerushalayim, saying, ‘There is a king in Yehudah’; 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 you say, but you feign them out of your own heart.” 9For they all would have us afraid, saying, “Their hands shall be idle from the work, that it be not done.” But now, strengthen my hands. 10And as for me, I went unto the house of Shema-Yah Ben Dela-Yah Ben Mehetavel, who was shut up; and he said, “Let us meet together in Beit HaElohim, within the Heikhal, and let us shut the doors of the Heikhal; for they will come to slay you; yes, in the night will they come to slay you.” 11And I said, “Should such a man as I flee? And who is there, that, being such as I, could go into the Heikhal and live? I will not go in.” 12And I discerned, and, lo, Elohim had not sent him; for he pronounced this prophecy against me, whereas Tov-Yah and Sanvalat had hired him. 13For this cause 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 taunt me.
14Remember, O my Elohim, Tov-Yah and Sanvalat according to these their works, and also the prophetess No’ad-Yah, and the rest of the prophets, that would have me put in fear. 15So the wall was finished in the twenty-fifth day of the month Elul, in fifty-two days.
16And it came to pass, when all our enemies heard thereof, that all the nations that were about us feared, and were much cast down in their own eyes; for they perceived that this work was wrought of our Elohim. 17Moreover in those days the nobles of Yehudah sent many letters unto Tov-Yah, and the letters of Tov-Yah came unto them. 18For there were many in Yehudah sworn unto him, because he was the son-in-law of Shekhan-Yah Ben Arah; and his son Yehokhanan had taken the daughter of Meshulam Ben Berekh-Yah to wife. 19Also they spoke of his good deeds before me, and reported my words to him. And Tov-Yah sent letters to put me in fear.
אוַיְהִי כַאֲשֶׁר נִשְׁמַע לְסַנְבַלַּט וְטוֹבִיָּה וּלְגֶשֶׁם הָעַרְבִי וּלְיֶתֶר אֹיְבֵינוּ כִּי בָנִיתִי אֶת הַחוֹמָה וְלֹא נוֹתַר בָּהּ פָּרֶץ גַּם עַד הָעֵת הַהִיא דְּלָתוֹת לֹא הֶעֱמַדְתִּי בַשְּׁעָרִים. בוַיִּשְׁלַח סַנְבַלַּט וְגֶשֶׁם אֵלַי לֵאמֹר לְכָה וְנִוָּעֲדָה יַחְדָּו בַּכְּפִירִים בְּבִקְעַת אוֹנוֹ; וְהֵמָּה חֹשְׁבִים לַעֲשׂוֹת לִי רָעָה. גוָאֶשְׁלְחָה עֲלֵיהֶם מַלְאָכִים לֵאמֹר מְלָאכָה גְדוֹלָה אֲנִי עֹשֶׂה וְלֹא אוּכַל לָרֶדֶת; לָמָּה תִשְׁבַּת הַמְּלָאכָה כַּאֲשֶׁר אַרְפֶּהָ וְיָרַדְתִּי אֲלֵיכֶם. דוַיִּשְׁלְחוּ אֵלַי כַּדָּבָר הַזֶּה אַרְבַּע פְּעָמִים; וָאָשִׁיב אוֹתָם כַּדָּבָר הַזֶּה. הוַיִּשְׁלַח אֵלַי סַנְבַלַּט כַּדָּבָר הַזֶּה פַּעַם חֲמִישִׁית אֶת נַעֲרוֹ; וְאִגֶּרֶת פְּתוּחָה בְּיָדוֹ. וכָּתוּב בָּהּ בַּגּוֹיִם נִשְׁמָע וְגַשְׁמוּ אֹמֵר אַתָּה וְהַיְּהוּדִים חֹשְׁבִים לִמְרוֹד עַל כֵּן אַתָּה בוֹנֶה הַחוֹמָה; וְאַתָּה הֹוֶה לָהֶם לְמֶלֶךְ כַּדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה. זוְגַם נְבִיאִים הֶעֱמַדְתָּ לִקְרֹא עָלֶיךָ בִירוּשָׁלִַם לֵאמֹר מֶלֶךְ בִּיהוּדָה וְעַתָּה יִשָּׁמַע לַמֶּלֶךְ כַּדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה; וְעַתָּה לְכָה וְנִוָּעֲצָה יַחְדָּו. חוָאֶשְׁלְחָה אֵלָיו לֵאמֹר לֹא נִהְיָה כַּדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה אֲשֶׁר אַתָּה אוֹמֵר: כִּי מִלִּבְּךָ אַתָּה בוֹדָאם. טכִּי כֻלָּם מְיָרְאִים אוֹתָנוּ לֵאמֹר יִרְפּוּ יְדֵיהֶם מִן הַמְּלָאכָה וְלֹא תֵעָשֶׂה; וְעַתָּה חַזֵּק אֶת יָדָי. יוַאֲנִי בָאתִי בֵּית שְׁמַעְיָה בֶן דְּלָיָה בֶּן מְהֵיטַבְאֵל וְהוּא עָצוּר; וַיֹּאמֶר נִוָּעֵד אֶל בֵּית הָאֱלֹהִים אֶל תּוֹךְ הַהֵיכָל וְנִסְגְּרָה דַּלְתוֹת הַהֵיכָל כִּי בָּאִים לְהָרְגֶךָ וְלַיְלָה בָּאִים לְהָרְגֶךָ. יאוָאֹמְרָה הַאִישׁ כָּמוֹנִי יִבְרָח וּמִי כָמוֹנִי אֲשֶׁר יָבֹא אֶל הַהֵיכָל וָחָי; לֹא אָבוֹא. יבוָאַכִּירָה וְהִנֵּה לֹא אֱלֹהִים שְׁלָחוֹ: כִּי הַנְּבוּאָה דִּבֶּר עָלַי וְטוֹבִיָּה וְסַנְבַלַּט שְׂכָרוֹ. יגלְמַעַן שָׂכוּר הוּא לְמַעַן אִירָא וְאֶעֱשֶׂה כֵּן וְחָטָאתִי; וְהָיָה לָהֶם לְשֵׁם רָע לְמַעַן יְחָרְפוּנִי.
ידזָכְרָה אֱלֹהַי לְטוֹבִיָּה וּלְסַנְבַלַּט כְּמַעֲשָׂיו אֵלֶּה; וְגַם לְנוֹעַדְיָה הַנְּבִיאָה וּלְיֶתֶר הַנְּבִיאִים אֲשֶׁר הָיוּ מְיָרְאִים אוֹתִי. טווַתִּשְׁלַם הַחוֹמָה בְּעֶשְׂרִים וַחֲמִשָּׁה לֶאֱלוּל לַחֲמִשִּׁים וּשְׁנַיִם יוֹם.
טזוַיְהִי כַּאֲשֶׁר שָׁמְעוּ כָּל אוֹיְבֵינוּ וַיִּרְאוּ כָּל הַגּוֹיִם אֲשֶׁר סְבִיבֹתֵינוּ וַיִּפְּלוּ מְאֹד בְּעֵינֵיהֶם; וַיֵּדְעוּ כִּי מֵאֵת אֱלֹהֵינוּ נֶעֶשְׂתָה הַמְּלָאכָה הַזֹּאת. יזגַּם בַּיָּמִים הָהֵם מַרְבִּים חֹרֵי יְהוּדָה אִגְּרֹתֵיהֶם הוֹלְכוֹת עַל טוֹבִיָּה ; וַאֲשֶׁר לְטוֹבִיָּה בָּאוֹת אֲלֵיהֶם. יחכִּי רַבִּים בִּיהוּדָה בַּעֲלֵי שְׁבוּעָה לוֹ כִּי חָתָן הוּא לִשְׁכַנְיָה בֶן אָרַח; וִיהוֹחָנָן בְּנוֹ לָקַח אֶת בַּת מְשֻׁלָּם בֶּן בֶּרֶכְיָה. יטגַּם טוֹבֹתָיו הָיוּ אֹמְרִים לְפָנַי וּדְבָרַי הָיוּ מוֹצִיאִים לוֹ; אִגְּרוֹת שָׁלַח טוֹבִיָּה לְיָרְאֵנִי.
D'var יהוה , The Word of יהוה 