Nehemiah 6:18

15-19 The wall was begun and finished in fifty-two days, though they rested on the sabbaths. A great deal of work may be done in a little time, if we set about it in earnest, and keep close to it. See the mischief of marrying with strangers. When men once became akin to Tobiah, they soon became sworn to him. A sinful love leads to a sinful league. The enemy of souls employs many instruments, and forms many projects, to bring reproach on the active servants of God, or to take them from their work. But we should follow the example of Him who laid down his life for the sheep. Those that simply cleave to the Lord and his work will be supported....

Verse Nehemiah 6:18. _HE WAS THE SON-IN-LAW OF SHECHANIAH_] Previously to the coming of Nehemiah, the Jews seemed to be fast intermixing with the heathen, by _intermarriages_ with _Ashdodites, Ammonites_, and _Moabites_; see Nehemiah 13:23. Ezra had many evils of this kind to redress, (Ezra 9:3, c.,) chiefly among the common people, though there were both chiefs and priests in that trespass. But here we find the heathen and Jewish nobles interlinked and the latter were so far imbued with the spirit of idolatry, that they forgot God, his service, their brethren, and their own souls....

Though Tobiah is called “the servant” or “slave” Nehemiah 2:10, Nehemiah 2:19, and was perhaps a bought slave of Sanballat’s, yet he was in such a position that Jewish nobles readily contracted affinity with him. This is quite in harmony with the practice of the East, where slaves often fill high positions and make great marriages....

EXPOSITION SECRET PROCEEDINGS OF SANBALLAT AND HIS FRIENDS TO HINDER THE BUILDING OF THE WALL, AND THEIR FAILURE. THE WALL COMPLETED (Nehemiah 6:1.). When the open opposition failed, when it was found that Nehemiah's arrangements for guarding the wall (Nehemiah 4:13) were such that success was not likely to attend the employment of force by the confederates, with such resources as they had at their disposal, and the idea of an assault was therefore give

CHAPTER 6 _ 1. The attempt to entice Nehemiah (Nehemiah 6:1)_ 2. The attempt to intimidate him (Nehemiah 6:5) 3. The attempt through a false prophet (Nehemiah 6:10) 4. The wall finished (Nehemiah 6:15) 5. The conspiracy between Jewish nobles and Tobiah (Nehemiah 6:17) Nehemiah 6:1. Defeated in all previous efforts to hinder the work and to do harm to the builders of the wall, the enemies made new attempts to make

THE REBUILDING OF THE WALL IS COMPLETED. TOBIAH'S FRIENDS IN JUDAH. Nehemiah 6:15. Elul: = August approximately. The rebuilding of the walls was completed in 444 B.C., having taken fifty-two days. Nehemiah 6:16. feared: the RVm. can be disregarded; the Heb. is defectively written. WERE MUCH CAST DOWN...: read and it was very marvellous in their eyes; this is gained by a slight emendation of the Heb. text, which gives no sense as it stands. Nehemiah 6:17 f. These verses bear witness to the intrigues which were being carried on in the city itself....

SON IN LAW. Connected also with. high priest Eliashib Compare Nehemiah 13:4. MESHULLAM. Compare Nehemiah 3:4; Nehemiah 3:30....

The Completion of the Wall (Nehemiah 6:15); and the impression produced (Nehemiah 6:16): treasonable correspondence (Nehemiah 6:17-19) 15. _Elul_ This month, which is the same as the Assyrian U-lu-lu, corresponds to the end of August and beginning of September. It is mentioned in 1Ma 14:27. The 25th of Elul would be September 444. Elul, the 6th of the sacred year, was the last month of the civil year. _in fifty and two days_ Nehemiah is evidently calling attention to the remarkable rapidity with which the wall was built. But though a remarkable performance, there is nothing incredible in it; and the suggestion to append to the text -and two years" (so Ewald) would give a period of time str

4. Success is achieved in spite of some differences with Tobiah. TEXT, NEHEMIAH 6:15-19 15 So the wall was completed on the twenty-fifth of the month Elul, in fifty-two days. 16 And it came about when all our enemies heard of it, and all the nations surrounding us saw it, they lost their confidence; for they recognized that this work had been accomplished with the help of our God. 17 Also in those days many letters went from the nobles of Judah to Tobiah, and Tobiah's letters came to them. 18 For many in Judah were bound by oath to him because he was the son-in-law of Shecaniah the son of Arah, and his son Jehohanan had married the daughter of Meshullam the son of Berechiah. 19 Moreover, they were speaking about his good deeds in my presence and reported my words to him. Then Tobiah sent letters to frighten me....

ATTEMPTS OF SANBALLAT TO HINDER THE COMPLETION OF THE WALLS 2. Ono] near Lod (Ezra 2:33), now Kefr Ana, some 25 m. from Jerusalem....