NEHEMIAH 6:1 A Conspiracy against Nehemiah, but the Wall Is Finished. Nehemiah’s enemies try to scare him into ceasing the work, but he is not deterred and the wall is finished. ⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var images = document.getElementsByTagName("img"); for (var i=0, len=images.length, img; i [ Continue Reading ]
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON NEHEMIAH 6:2 HAKKEPHIRIM IN THE PLAIN OF ONO. This unknown place is presumably near the town of Ono (see Ezra 2:33), north of Jerusalem, perhaps serving as a neutral ground. Nehemiah sees it as a conspiracy, since he knows they want to interrupt his work. ⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var images = documen... [ Continue Reading ]
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON NEHEMIAH 6:3 I AM DOING A GREAT WORK AND I CANNOT COME DOWN. Nehemiah refused to leave his work for discussions with his enemies. He knew such a meeting would be fruitless and probably dangerous. ⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var images = document.getElementsByTagName("img"); for (var i=0, len=images.leng... [ Continue Reading ]
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON NEHEMIAH 6:5 Sanballat’s FIFTH attempt to defeat Nehemiah was an OPEN LETTER (v. Nehemiah 6:5). Its public nature was intended to exert extra pressure on Nehemiah. Sanballat once again accuses the people of rebelling against Persia (see Ezra 4:12). He portrays himself as loyal to Pe... [ Continue Reading ]
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON NEHEMIAH 6:10 SHEMAIAH is not otherwise known, but he may have been a priest, which explains his proposal for a meeting in the temple (perhaps a second meeting from the one mentioned here). CONFINED TO HIS HOME. This possible translation of a difficult Hebrew word tries to explain w... [ Continue Reading ]
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON NEHEMIAH 6:12 GOD HAD NOT SENT HIM. Nehemiah sees that Shemaiah’s PROPHECY was false. ⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var images = document.getElementsByTagName("img"); for (var i=0, len=images.length, img; i [ Continue Reading ]
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON NEHEMIAH 6:13 To BE AFRAID would be the opposite of having faith in this situation, and so would be SIN (see Deuteronomy 1:28; note on Ezra 3:3). This sort of unbelief would allow his enemies TO TAUNT Nehemiah (see Nehemiah 5:9) and thus undermine his authority. ⇐... [ Continue Reading ]
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON NEHEMIAH 6:14 REMEMBER. See note on 5:19; compare Nehemiah 1:8. ⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var images = document.getElementsByTagName("img"); for (var i=0, len=images.length, img; i [ Continue Reading ]
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON NEHEMIAH 6:15 ELUL was the sixth MONTH (August/September), so it has been less than six months since Nehemiah spoke to the king. THEY PERCEIVED THAT THIS WORK HAD BEEN ACCOMPLISHED WITH THE HELP OF OUR GOD. If God had helped the people of Judah, the nations feared he would turn Juda... [ Continue Reading ]
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON NEHEMIAH 6:17 The NOBLES OF JUDAH were cooperating with TOBIAH. They were connected because Tobiah, an “Ammonite” (Nehemiah 2:10), and his son had married into Jewish nobility. Ezra’s measures against intermarriage (Ezra 9:1) perhaps explain Tobiah’s hostility to Nehemiah’s work. ⇐... [ Continue Reading ]
NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON NEHEMIAH 6:18 BOUND BY OATH TO HIM. It is not clear how they were bound. But there was clearly a powerful group in Jerusalem committed to Tobiah and opposed to Nehemiah. ⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var images = document.getElementsByTagName("img"); for (var i=0, len=images.length, img; i [ Continue Reading ]