1So, when Sanballat, Tobiah, and Geshem the Arabian, plus our other haters, heard I built the wall and there were no gaps left, they were shook. (I hadn’t even put the doors on yet, no cap.)

2Sanballat and Geshem slid into my DMs, saying, "Yo, let’s chill in one of the villages in Ono." But they were totally sus, trying to pull some shady moves.

3I shot back, "I’m busy grinding on this big project, can’t dip out. Why should I stop the work just to meet you?"

4They hit me up four times trying to flex, and I gave them the same response each time.

5Sanballat sent his dude to me again, this time with an open letter like, "Check this out."

6The letter said, "Word on the street is that you and the Jews are planning to rebel. That’s why you’re building the wall, so you can be their king, right?"

7"And you’ve got prophets in Jerusalem saying there’s a king in Judah. Now it’s gonna get back to the king. So let’s vibe and talk this out."

8I replied, "Ain’t none of that true, you’re just making stuff up in your head."

9They were trying to scare us, saying our hands would get weak from the work and it wouldn’t get done. So I said, "God, strengthen my hands, fr."

10Later, I went to Shemaiah’s crib, and he was all locked up. He said, "Let’s meet in the temple and lock the doors, they’re coming for you at night."

11I was like, "Should I, a dude like me, run away? Who’s gonna risk it all and go into the temple to save their life? Nah, I’m not going in."

12I realized God didn’t send him; he was just spilling tea for Tobiah and Sanballat.

13They hired him to scare me into doing something dumb, so they could roast me later.

14God, remember Tobiah and Sanballat for their shady moves, and the prophetess Noadiah, plus the other prophets trying to make me nervous.

15The wall was finally done on the twenty-fifth day of Elul, in just fifty-two days. That’s lit!

16When all our enemies heard about it and the surrounding nations saw what went down, they were super bummed because they realized this was all God’s work.

17Back then, the nobles of Judah were sending mad letters to Tobiah, and he was sending letters back to them.

18A bunch of people in Judah were loyal to him since he was related to Shechaniah, and his son Johanan married Meshullam’s daughter.

19They were hyping up his good deeds to me and relaying my words to him. Tobiah was sending letters trying to scare me, for real.

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.

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.

15So 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.

17Moreover in those days the nobles of Judah sent many letters unto Tobiah, and the letters of Tobiah came unto them.

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.