9 For they were all trying to frighten us, saying: “Their hands will slacken in the work, and it will not be done.”+ Now, I pray, strengthen my hands.+

10 Then I went to the house of She·maiʹah the son of De·laʹiah the son of Me·hetʹa·bel while he was confined there. He said: “Let us set a time to meet at the house of the true God, within the temple, and let us close the doors of the temple, for they are coming to kill you. They are coming to kill you by night.”

13 He had been hired to frighten me and to cause me to sin, so that they would have grounds to damage my reputation in order to reproach me.