Immerse: Chronicles Full Volume - Flipbook - Page 137
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land. And I required all my servants to spend time working on the wall. I
asked for nothing, even though I regularly fed 150 Jewish officials at my
table, besides all the visitors from other lands! The provisions I paid for
each day included one ox, six choice sheep or goats, and a large number of
poultry. And every ten days we needed a large supply of all kinds of wine.
Yet I refused to claim the governor’s food allowance because the people
already carried a heavy burden.
Remember, O my God, all that I have done for these people, and bless
me for it.
Sanballat, Tobiah, Geshem the Arab, and the rest of our enemies found out
that I had finished rebuilding the wall and that no gaps r emained—though
we had not yet set up the doors in the gates. 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, so I replied by sending
this message to them: “I am engaged in a great work, so I can’t come. Why
should I stop working to come and meet with you?”
Four times they sent the same message, and each time I gave the same
reply. The fifth time, Sanballat’s servant came with an open letter in his
hand, and this is what it said:
“There is a rumor among the surrounding nations, and Geshem tells
me it is true, that you and the Jews are planning to rebel and that is
why you are building the wall. According to his reports, you plan to
be their king. He also reports that you have appointed prophets in
Jerusalem to proclaim about you, ‘Look! There is a king in Judah!’
“You can be very sure that this report will get back to the king, so I
suggest that you come and talk it over with me.”
I replied, “There is no truth in any part of your story. You are making
up the whole thing.”
They were just trying to intimidate us, imagining that they could discourage us and stop the work. So I continued the work with even greater
determination.
Later I went to visit Shemaiah son of Delaiah and grandson of Meheta
bel, who was confined to his home. He said, “Let us meet together inside
the Temple of God and bolt the doors shut. Your enemies are coming to
kill you tonight.”
But I replied, “Should someone in my position run from danger? Should
someone in my position enter the Temple to save his life? No, I won’t do
it!” I realized that God had not spoken to him, but that he had uttered this
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