The Book of Nehemiah
Nehemiah 6
Chapter VI · Vol. II, p. 913
1 Sanballat practiseth by craft, by rumours, by hired prophecies, to terrify Nehemiah. 15 The wall is finished to the terror of the enemies. 17 Secret intelligence passeth between the enemies and the nobles of Judah.
1 Now it came to pass, when aSanballat, and Tobiah, and Geshem the Arabian, and the rest of our enemies, heard that I had builded the wall, and that there was no bbreach left therein, (though at that time I chad not set up the doors upon the gates,)
A.M. 3559. B.C. 445.
a ch.2.10,19; 4.1; ver.2,6,12,14.
b ch.4.6.
c ch.3.3,6.
2 That Sanballat and Geshem sent unto me, saying, Come, let us dmeet together in some one of the villages1 in the eplain of Ono:2 but theyf thought to do me mischief.
d Pr.26.24-26. Ps.37.12. Ec.4.4.
1 Rather, in Cepherim, the name of a place; probably Chephirah in Benjamin, Jos.18.26.—C.
e 1 Ch.8.12. ch.3.22; 12.28; 11.35.
2 Ono was a town of Benjamin, and is grouped with Lod or Lydda, Ezr.2.33. Ne. 7.37. It therefore lay in the great plain of Sharon. There is a small village with ancient ruins five miles north of Lydda, which may mark the site of Ono. The object of Sanballat was evidently to draw Nehemiah away from the mountain fastnesses into the open plain, where they might seize, and either imprison or murder him.—P.
3 And I gsent 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?
5 Then sent Sanballat his servant unto me, in like manner, the fifth time, with an open letter in his hand;3
3 Eastern letters are rolled up and sealed with great accuracy; and when to persons of rank, inclosed in a silken bag. This letter being open, was an insult, and intended to give publicity to the slanderous libel contained in it.—C.
6 Wherein was written, iIt is reported among the heathen, and kGashmu saith it, that thou and the Jews think to lrebel: for which cause thou buildest the wall, that thou mayest be their king, according to these words.4
7 And 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 mtake counsel together.
8 Then I sent unto him, saying, There are no such things done as thou sayest, but thou feignestn them out of thine own heart.
9 For they all made us oafraid,5 saying, Their hands shall be weakened from the work, that it be not done: Now therefore, pO God, strengthen my hands.
10 Afterward I came unto the house of Shemaiahq the son of Delaiah, the son of Mehetabeel, who was shut up;6 and he said, rLet 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.7
q ver.12. Mat.7.15.
6 Either as a recluse pretending to great sanctity—a practice still common in the East; or, more probably, 'shut up,' under pretence of fear of the threatened invasion by Sanballat.—C.
r Pr.26.24. Ps.37.12; 12.2; 120.2; 55.21. ver.7,8,19.
7 This wily traitor assumed the character of a prophet to entrap Nehemiah and ruin him. He pretended to be so overcome by fear that he shut himself up, and acted besides as if he were divinely warned. Had Nehemiah yielded to his advice, the people would have been left without a leader, they would have been completely disorganized and disheartened, and they would have fallen an easy prey to their enemies.—P.
11 And I said, Should ssuch a man as I flee?8 and who is there, that, being as I 9am, would go into the temple to save his life? I will not go in.
A.M. 3559. B.C. 445.
s Pr.28.1. Ac.21.13. 1 Co.9.15; 16.13, with Ex.21.14.
8 Shall a man, honoured by the king's commission, and bound by the ties of patriotism to watch and labour for his poor countrymen, so far forget his dignity and duty as to flee like a coward? But, above all, shall a professed believer in God, and his promises and providence, bring disgrace upon his religion in the eyes of the heathen, and by basely deserting his post, prove that he cannot trust for protection to the God whom he worships?—C.
9 'Being as I am,' that is, being innocent as I am of all the guilt charged by Sanballat, would go into the temple, like a guilty culprit fleeing to the horns of the altar to save his life? 1 Ki.2.28.—C.
12 And, lo, I tperceived that God had not sent him;1 but that he pronounced this prophecy against me: for Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him.2
13 Therefore was he hired, that I should ube afraid, and do so, and sin, and that xthey might have matter for an evil report, that they might reproach me.
14 Myy God, think thou upon Tobiah and Sanballat according to these their works, and on the zprophetess Noadiah, and the rest of the prophets, that would have put me in fear.3
y ch.13.29; 4.4,5. Ps.140.8-11.
z Eze.xiii. Is.56.10-12. Je.6.13; 14.14; 23.11-16. Mi.3.5. Re.2.20. 2 Pe.2.1.
3 See note on ch. 4. 4.—C.
16 And it came to pass, that when all our enemies heard thereof, and all the heathen that were about us saw these things, they were bmuch cast down in their own eyes: for they perceived that this work was wrought of our God.4
17 Moreover, in those days the nobles of Judah csent many letters unto Tobiah, and the letters of Tobiah came unto them.
Notes
Reflections.—O the infernal subtlety and restlessness of Satan and his agents; and the need of heavenly wisdom and steady circumspection for resisting all their ensnaring and repeated solicitations! But business of consequence ought always to be preferred to matters of civility and compliment. It is common for the church's enemies to pretend friendship in order to ruin her; and no less so to represent her faithful ministers and members as traitors to government. But no lies, or malevolent reports, should weaken our hands from the work of God. They who have almighty power engaged for them may look up to God and be comforted. He will uphold them; and the more the enemies rage the more shall Jehovah's strength be perfected in our weakness. Yea, they shall see, to their grief, that he cares for his people, and that when he works none can hinder it. However great the opposition, and weak the instruments, he can speedily effect his work. And much good may be done in a short time if people are hearty in it, and have a good God and a pious man at the head of it. But a most dangerous plague are pretended and unfaithful ministers, treacherous magistrates, and villanous professors. The treachery of pretended friends is more to be feared than the malice of open enemies. And happy are those who, directed and encouraged of God, escape being ensnared in their nets. But for this we must walk circumspectly, and try the spirits: and be ready to risk every danger, rather than injure the cause of God, or even bring a reproach on our holy character or office. God marks the iniquities of his enemies, and will turn their deep-laid schemes against his people to their own confusion. Nor shall those who have ensnared themselves by sinful connections, or who assist them in their purposes, long escape the judgment which lingereth not.