Nehemiah 6

King James Version

Full text for Nehemiah Chapter 6

1¶ Now it came to pass, when Sanballat, and Tobiah, and Geshem the Arabian, and the rest of our enemies, heard that I had builded the wall, and [that] there was no breach left therein; (though at that time I had not set up the doors upon the gates;)

2That Sanballat and Geshem sent unto me, saying, Come, let us meet together in [some one of] the villages in the plain of Ono. But they thought to do me mischief.

3And I sent messengers unto them, saying, I [am] doing a great work, so that I cannot come down: why should the work cease, whilst I leave it, and come down to you?

4Yet they sent unto me four times after this sort; and I answered them after the same manner.

5Then sent Sanballat his servant unto me in like manner the fifth time with an open letter in his hand;

6Wherein [was] written, It is reported among the heathen, and Gashmu saith [it, that] thou and the Jews think to rebel: for which cause thou buildest the wall, that thou mayest be their king, according to these words.

7And thou hast also appointed prophets to preach of thee at Jerusalem, saying, [There is] a king in Judah: and now shall it be reported to the king according to these words. Come now therefore, and let us take counsel together.

8Then I sent unto him, saying, There are no such things done as thou sayest, but thou feignest them out of thine own heart.

9For they all made us afraid, saying, Their hands shall be weakened from the work, that it be not done. Now therefore, [O God], strengthen my hands.

10¶ Afterward I came unto the house of Shemaiah the son of Delaiah the son of Mehetabeel, who [was] shut up; and he said, Let us meet together in the house of God, within the temple, and let us shut the doors of the temple: for they will come to slay thee; yea, in the night will they come to slay thee.

11And I said, Should such a man as I flee? and who [is there], that, [being] as I [am], would go into the temple to save his life? I will not go in.

12And, lo, I perceived that God had not sent him; but that he pronounced this prophecy against me: for Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him.

13Therefore [was] he hired, that I should be afraid, and do so, and sin, and [that] they might have [matter] for an evil report, that they might reproach me.

14My God, think thou upon Tobiah and Sanballat according to these their works, and on the prophetess Noadiah, and the rest of the prophets, that would have put me in fear.

15¶ So the wall was finished in the twenty and fifth [day] of [the month] Elul, in fifty and two days.

16And it came to pass, that when all our enemies heard [thereof], and all the heathen that [were] about us saw [these things], they were much cast down in their own eyes: for they perceived that this work was wrought of our God.

17Moreover in those days the nobles of Judah sent many letters unto Tobiah, and [the letters] of Tobiah came unto them.

18For [there were] many in Judah sworn unto him, because he [was] the son in law of Shechaniah the son of Arah; and his son Johanan had taken the daughter of Meshullam the son of Berechiah.

19Also they reported his good deeds before me, and uttered my words to him. [And] Tobiah sent letters to put me in fear.

AI Analysis

AI Summaries

Short Summary

Nehemiah's enemies, Sanballat, Tobiah, and Geshem, repeatedly attempted to lure him away from the wall-building work through deceptive invitations and false accusations of rebellion. They also hired a prophet, Shemaiah, to trick Nehemiah into sinning by fleeing into the temple. Despite these persistent threats and internal treachery from some nobles, Nehemiah remained resolute, and the wall was successfully completed in fifty-two days, recognized by enemies as a work of God.

Medium Summary

As the wall of Jerusalem neared completion, Nehemiah's adversaries—Sanballat, Tobiah, and Geshem—intensified their efforts to halt the work. They initially sent repeated invitations for Nehemiah to meet them in Ono, intending to harm him, which Nehemiah steadfastly refused, citing his commitment to the great work. Sanballat then sent an open letter falsely accusing Nehemiah of rebellion and aspiring to be king, a charge Nehemiah immediately denied as fabricated. Subsequently, a hired prophet named Shemaiah attempted to induce Nehemiah to seek refuge in the temple, claiming his life was in danger, but Nehemiah discerned this as a trap designed to make him sin. Throughout these trials, Nehemiah prayed for divine strength and protection. Despite the external threats and internal betrayal from some Jewish nobles who maintained alliances with Tobiah, the wall was remarkably finished in just fifty-two days. The enemies were disheartened, acknowledging that the successful completion was wrought by God.

Long Summary

Nehemiah chapter 6 details the escalating opposition faced by Nehemiah as the wall of Jerusalem approached completion. Sanballat, Tobiah, and Geshem, hearing that the wall was nearly finished, initiated a series of deceptive attempts to undermine Nehemiah's leadership and halt the work. They first sent repeated invitations for Nehemiah to meet them in the plain of Ono, intending to do him mischief, but Nehemiah consistently refused, asserting that he was engaged in a great work that could not be interrupted. After four such rejections, Sanballat sent an open letter, falsely accusing Nehemiah and the Jews of rebellion against the king and claiming Nehemiah intended to make himself king, even alleging he had appointed prophets to proclaim his kingship. Nehemiah promptly refuted these accusations, recognizing them as fabrications designed to instill fear and weaken the workers' hands. He then prayed for God to strengthen his own hands. The adversaries' tactics extended to spiritual deception, as they hired a prophet named Shemaiah, who was shut up in his house, to deliver a false prophecy. Shemaiah urged Nehemiah to flee into the temple for safety, claiming assassins would come for him that night. Nehemiah, discerning that God had not sent Shemaiah and that this was a trap set by Tobiah and Sanballat to make him sin and provide grounds for reproach, firmly refused to compromise his integrity by fleeing. He then prayed for divine judgment upon Tobiah, Sanballat, the prophetess Noadiah, and other false prophets who sought to intimidate him. Remarkably, despite this relentless opposition, the wall was completed in a mere fifty-two days, on the twenty-fifth day of Elul. Upon hearing of the wall's completion, all the enemies and surrounding heathen nations were greatly disheartened, recognizing that this monumental work was clearly accomplished by the hand of God. The chapter concludes by revealing internal treachery, as many nobles of Judah maintained correspondence with Tobiah, who was related to them by marriage, reporting Nehemiah's words to him and receiving letters designed to instill fear in Nehemiah.

Core Concepts

  • Persistent OppositionNehemiah's enemies, Sanballat, Tobiah, and Geshem, relentlessly sought to hinder the wall's construction through various deceptive tactics, including false invitations and accusations. Their goal was to instill fear and stop the work.
  • Nehemiah's Integrity and ResolveNehemiah consistently refused to be swayed by threats or deception, prioritizing the "great work" and demonstrating unwavering commitment to his divine calling. He discerned the true motives of his adversaries and maintained his moral and spiritual integrity.
  • False Accusations and SlanderSanballat employed an open letter to spread false reports that Nehemiah was planning a rebellion and aspiring to be king, aiming to discredit him before the Persian monarch. Nehemiah directly refuted these lies as fabrications.
  • Hired Prophets and Spiritual DeceptionTobiah and Sanballat hired Shemaiah to deliver a false prophecy, attempting to trick Nehemiah into fleeing into the temple, which would have been an act of cowardice and sin. Nehemiah's discernment prevented him from falling into this trap.
  • Divine Enablement and CompletionDespite intense external and internal opposition, the wall was miraculously completed in only fifty-two days, a feat recognized by the enemies themselves as a work "wrought of our God." This highlights God's power in overcoming human obstacles.
  • Internal Betrayal and AlliancesSome Jewish nobles maintained close ties with Tobiah due to intermarriage, exchanging letters and reporting Nehemiah's activities to him. This internal treachery posed a significant challenge, as it provided the enemies with intelligence and a means to sow discord.