Nehemiah 1:8

1:8 Please recall the word you commanded your servant Moses: ‘If you act unfaithfully, I will scatter you among the nations.

Nehemiah 6:2-3

6:2 Sanballat and Geshem sent word to me saying, “Come on! Let’s set up a time to meet together at Kephirim in the plain of Ono.” Now they intended to do me harm.

6:3 So I sent messengers to them saying, “I am engaged in an important work, and I am unable to come down. Why should the work come to a halt when I leave it to come down to you?”

Nehemiah 6:7-9

6:7 You have also established prophets to announce in Jerusalem on your behalf, ‘We have a king in Judah!’ Now the king is going to hear about these rumors. So come on! Let’s talk about this.”

6:8 I sent word back to him, “We are not engaged in these activities you are describing. All of this is a figment of your imagination.”

6:9 All of them were wanting to scare us, supposing, “Their hands will grow slack from the work, and it won’t get done.”

So now, strengthen my hands!