Further opposition to rebuilding
1 Sanballat, Tobiah, Geshem the Arab, and the rest of our enemies learned that I had rebuilt the wall of Jerusalem. There was no hole left in it, although the doors had not been set up yet.
2 Then Sanballat and Geshem sent me a message saying, “Come and let us meet to gether in one of the villages in the plain of Ono.” They intended to do me harm;
3 but I sent messengers to them, saying, “I am much occupied in a very important work, I cannot come down to meet you, for the work would stop if I left it.”
4 They invited me again four times, but I gave them the same answer every time.
5 Then Sanballat invited me for the fifth time. His servant brought an open letter which said the following,
6 “Do you know the news that circulates among those who are not Jews? Gash mu says that you and the Jews are plan ning to rebel and that is why you are rebuilding the wall.
7 And you also wish to become their king, and have already chosen pro phets to proclaim you king of Jeru salem. The king shall know of this, so come, that the two of us may talk.”
8 But I sent to him, saying, “There’s nothing true in what you say; you have invented this story.” 9 For they all wanted to frighten us, saying: “Let us discourage them that they may not finish the work.”
9 But I, on the contrary, worked with greater strength.
10 Then I went to Shemaiah, son of De laiah, son of Mehe tabel, since he could not leave his house. He said to me, “Let us meet together in the House of God, within the sanctuary, and then close its doors, for they are coming to kill you, to strike you this very night.”
11 But I answered him, “Should a man like me flee? Why should a man like me seek sanctuary to save my life? I will not go.”
12 I understood then that Semaiah had not been sent by God but that To biah and San ballat had brought him
13 to frighten me. In hiding in the sanctuary, I would have committed an offense, and this would have damaged my reputation and put me to shame.
14 O my God, remember To biah and Sanballat for what they have done; and also the prophetess Noa diah and the rest of the prophets who tried to frighten me.
15 The wall was finished on the twenty-fifth day of Elul, in fifty-two days.
16 When our enemies and the neigh boring nations knew about it, they were afraid and lost courage. They had to recognize the work of God in this.
17 During that time, several distinguished Jews often wrote to and received letters from Tobiah.
18 To biah had many friends in Judah for he was the son-in-law of Shecaniah, son of Arah, and because his son Jehohanan was married to the daughter of Meshullam, son of Berechiah.
19 They even came to speak well of Tobiah in my presence, and recounted to him all my words as well. And it was he – Tobiah – who sent letters to frighten me.
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Comments Nehemiah, Chapter 6
• 6.1 Sanballat uses every means to discourage Nehemiah:
3:33 – mockery and insults.
4:2 – threat of attack.
6:2 – psychological warfare.
6:6 – accusations.
6:14 – bribing false prophets.
There will always be people who take advantage of God’s word to support governments or to deceive the people.
Note the expression in 6:13 – to frighten me and lead me to sin. Quite often, fear is a slippery way leading to sin