1. Sanballat, Tobiah, Geshem the Arab, and the rest of our enemies heard that I had rebuilt the wall and that no gaps had been left in it (although at that time I had not yet hung the doors in the city gates).
2. Then Sanballat and Geshem sent this message to me: “Let’s meet in Hakkephirim on the plain of Ono.” They were planning to harm me.
3. I sent messengers to tell them, “I’m working on an important project and can’t get away. Why should the work stop while I leave to meet with you?”
4. They sent the same message to me four times, and I answered them the same way.