[:en]When the wall was built up without the gates yet, Sanballat and Geshem sent message several times wanting Nehemiah to meet them. But Nehemiah refused. Then on the fifth time, he sent a letter telling him of a report accusing him of plotting a revolt by building a wall and setting himself as king in Judah. He was asking Nehemiah to confer with him, otherwise, the report would be sent to the king of Persia. Nehemiah refused to meet him but prayed to God: “Now strengthen my hands” (*v. 9)
Meanwhile, Tobiah and Sanballat hired Shemaiah to tell Nehemiah that men were coming to kill him, so he invited Nehemiah to meet him in the temple. But Nehemiah replied: “Should a man like me run away? Or should one like me go into the temple to save his life? I will not go” (v. 11)
The wall was finally completed in 52 days. All their enemies were afraid and lost their self-confidence because they realized that this work had been done with the help of God (v. 16)[:]