The letter continues: "And you have also appointed prophets to proclaim concerning you in Jerusalem, saying, 'There is a king in Judah!' And now it will be reported to the king according to these words. So come, therefore, and let us confer together."" The accusation escalates by suggesting that Nehemiah has authorized prophetic proclamations of his kingship; the involvement of prophets would make the conspiracy appear to be divinely endorsed and therefore more dangerous. The threat to report these matters to the Persian king directly pressures Nehemiah to respond and negotiate. The invitation to confer is again deceptive; the opponents frame the meeting as an opportunity to discuss and defuse the accusations, but the context suggests that their actual intent is to silence Nehemiah through assassination.

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