The Bible and Holy Scriptures conteyned in the Olde and Newe Testament. Translated according to the Ebrue and Greke, and conferred with the best translations in diuers languges. VVith moste profitable annotations vpon all the hard places, and other things of great importance as may appeare in the epistle to the reader

CHAP. VI.

8 Nehemiáh answereth with great wisdome, and zeale to his aduersarie. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 He is not discouraged by the false Prophetes,

1 ANd when Sanballát, and Tobiáh, and Géshem the Arabian, and the rest of our enemies heard that I had buylt the wall, and that there were no mo a 1.1breaches therein [thogh at that time I had not set vp the do∣res vpon the gates]* 1.2

2 Then sent Sanballat and Géshen vnto me, saying, Come thou that we may mete toge∣ther in the villages in the plaine of On o: and they thoght to do me euil.

3 Therefore I sent messengers vnto them, say∣ing, I haue a great worke to do, and I can not come downe:b 1.3 why shulde the worke cease whiles I leaue it, and come downe to you?

4 Yet they sent vnto me foure times after this forte. And I answered them after the same maner.

5 Then sent Sanbállát his seruant after this for te vnto me the fift time, with an open letter in his hand.

6 Wherein in was writen, It is reported amōg the heathen, and“ 1.4 Gashmú hathe said it, that thou and the Iewes thinke to rebell, for the which cause thou buy Idest the wal and thou wilt be their King according to thesec 1.5 wordes.

7 Thou hast also ordeinedd 1.6 the Prophetes to preache of thee at Ierusalém, saying, (There is) a King in Iudáh: and now according to these wordes it shal come to the Kings eares come now therefore, and let vs take coun∣sel together.

8 Then I sent vnto him, saying, It is not done according to these wordes that thou sayest: for thou fainest them of thine owne heart.

9 For all thei afraied vs, saying, Their hands shal be weakened frō the worke, & it shal not be done now therefore” 1.7 in courage thou me.

10 ¶ And I came to the house of Shemaiàh the sonne of Delaiáh the sonne of Mehetabél, and he wase 1.8 shut vp, ād he said, Let vs come together into the house of God in the mid∣des of the Temple, and shut the dores of the

Temple: for they wil come to slay thee: yea, in the night wil they come to kil thee.

11 Then I said,f 1.9 Shulde suche a man as I, flee? Who is he, being as I am, that wolde go into the Temple to liue? I wil not go in.

12 And lo, I perceiued, that God had not sent him, but that he pronounced this prophecie against me: for Tobiáh and Sanballát had hy red him.

13 Therefore was he hyred, that I might be a∣frayed, and do thus, and sinne, and that they might haue an euil reporte that they might reproche me.

14 My God, remember thou Tobiáh, and San ballát according vnto these their workes, & No adiák theg 1.10 Prophetesse also, and the rest of the Prophetes that wolde haue put me in feare.

15 ¶ Not withstanding the wall was finished on the fiue and twentieth (day) ofh 1.11 Elūl, in two andi 1.12 fiftic dayes.

16 And when all our enemies heard thereof, (euen) all the heathen that were about vs, thei were 〈◊〉〈◊〉, and their courage failed them: for they knewe, that this worke was wroght by our God.

17 And in these dayes (were) there manie of the princes of Iudáh, whosek 1.13 letters 〈◊〉〈◊〉 vn to Tobiáh, and those of Tobiáh came vnto them.

18 For there (were) manie in Iudáh. that were sworne vnto him: for he was the sonne in law of Shechaniah, the sonne of Aráh: and his sō ne Iehonathán had the daughter of Meshul∣lám, the sonne of Berechiáh.

19 Yea, they spake in his praise before me, and tolde him my wordes, (and) Tobiah sent let∣ters to put me in feare.

Notes

• a 1.1

  That is, that they were ioined 〈◊〉〈◊〉 as.
• * 1.2

  Chap. 4. 6.
• b 1.3

  Meaning that if he shulde obei their 〈◊〉〈◊〉, the worke, which God had appoin ted, shulde ceaset shewing hereby that we shulde not commit our selues to the hād: of the wicked.
• “ 1.4

  Or, Gés hem.
• c 1.5

  As the fame goeth.
• d 1.6

  Thou hast bri∣bed, and set vp false Prophetes, to make thy selfe King, and so to desraude the King of Persia of that 〈◊〉〈◊〉, which you ough vnto him.
• ” 1.7

  Ebr. strengthen thou 〈◊〉〈◊〉 hand.
• e 1.8

  As thogh he wolde be secret to the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 that he might pray vnto God with greater libertie, and 〈◊〉〈◊〉 some 〈◊〉〈◊〉, 〈◊〉〈◊〉, which in him was but 〈◊〉〈◊〉.
• f 1.9

  He douted not but God was able to preserue him, and knewe that, if he had o∣beyed this coun∣sel, he shulde haue discouraged all the people: thus GOD giueth power to his, to resist false prophe cies thogh they seme to haue ne∣uer so great 〈◊〉〈◊〉.
• g 1.10

  Very grief cau∣sed him to pray against suche, which vnder the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of being the ministers of God, were aduer 〈◊〉〈◊〉 to his glo∣rie, and went a∣bout to ouer∣throw his Church declaring also hereby that where there is one 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of God, the deuil hath a great sorte of hierlings.
• h 1.11

  Which was the sixt moneth and conteined 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of August, & par∣te of Sept.
• i 1.12

  After that I had sent Sanballát his answere.
• k 1.13

  Thus the Church of GOD hathe euermore enemies within itselfe, which are more dangerous thē the outwarde and professed enemie.