Nehemiah 6:5-7

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 Persia and as a friend of the Jews. He offers to defuse the danger posed by their supposed rebellion. The king will hear is, of course, a veiled threat. While he may have held long-term messianic hopes, Nehemiah remained a loyal servant of Artaxerxes. He had no desire to be king, and there is no reason to think he was a descendant of David.