Nehemiah 6

Conspiracy Against Nehemiah

1 Now when a Sanballat and Tobiah and b Geshem the Arab and the rest of our enemies heard that I had built the wall and that there was no breach left in it ( c although up to that time I had not set up the doors in the gates), 2 Sanballat and Geshem sent to me, saying, "Come and let us meet together at Hakkephirim in the plain of d Ono." But they intended to do me harm. 3 And I sent messengers to them, saying, "I am doing a great work and I cannot come down. Why should the work stop while I leave it and come down to you?" 4 And they sent to me four times in this way, and I answered them in the same manner. 5 In the same way Sanballat for the fifth time sent his servant to me with an open letter in his hand. 6 In it was written, "It is reported among the nations, and Geshem 1 also says it, that you and e the Jews intend to rebel; that is why you are building the wall. And according to these reports you wish to become their king. 7 And you have also set up prophets to proclaim concerning you in Jerusalem, 'There is a king in Judah.' And now the king will hear of these reports. So now come and let us take counsel together." 8 Then I sent to him, saying, "No such things as you say have been done, for you are inventing them out of your own mind." 9 For they all wanted to frighten us, thinking, "Their hands will drop from the work, and it will not be done." But now, O God, 2 strengthen my hands.

10 Now when I went into the house of Shemaiah the son of Delaiah, son of Mehetabel, who was f confined to his home, he said, "Let us meet together in the house of God, within the temple. Let us close the doors of the temple, for they are coming to kill you. They are coming to kill you by night." 11 But I said, "Should such a man as I run away? And what man such as I could go into the temple and live? 3 I will not go in." 12 And I understood and saw that God had not sent him, g but he had pronounced the prophecy against me because Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him. 13 For this purpose he was hired, that I should be afraid and act in this way and sin, and so they could give me a bad name in order to taunt me. 14 h Remember Tobiah and Sanballat, O my God, according to these things that they did, and also i the prophetess Noadiah and the rest of the prophets who wanted to make me afraid.

The Wall Is Finished

15 So the wall was finished on the twenty-fifth day of the month Elul, in fifty-two days. 16 And j when all our enemies heard of it, all the nations around us were afraid and fell greatly in their own esteem, k for they perceived that this work had been accomplished with the help of our God. 17 Moreover, in those days the nobles of Judah sent many letters 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 l Arah: and his son Jehohanan had taken the daughter of m Meshullam the son of Berechiah as his wife. 19 Also they spoke of his good deeds in my presence and reported my words to him. And Tobiah sent letters to make me afraid.

  1. Cross References
    Nehemiah 2:10
    But when Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite servant heard this, it displeased them greatly that someone had come to seek the welfare of the people of Israel.
    Nehemiah 2:19
    But when Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite servant and Geshem the Arab heard of it, they jeered at us and despised us and said, "What is this thing that you are doing? Are you rebelling against the king?
    Nehemiah 4:1
    Now when Sanballat heard that we were building the wall, he was angry and greatly enraged, and he jeered at the Jews.
    Nehemiah 4:7
    But when Sanballat and Tobiah and the Arabs and the Ammonites and the Ashdodites heard that the repairing of the walls of Jerusalem was going forward and that the breaches were beginning to be closed, they were very angry.
  2. Cross References
    Nehemiah 6:6
    In it was written, "It is reported among the nations, and Geshem also says it, that you and the Jews intend to rebel; that is why you are building the wall. And according to these reports you wish to become their king.
  3. Cross References
    Nehemiah 3:1
    Then Eliashib the high priest rose up with his brothers the priests, and they built the Sheep Gate. They consecrated it and set its doors. They consecrated it as far as the Tower of the Hundred, as far as the Tower of Hananel.
    Nehemiah 3:3
    The sons of Hassenaah built the Fish Gate. They laid its beams and set its doors, its bolts, and its bars.
  4. Cross References
    1 Chronicles 8:12
    The sons of Elpaal: Eber, Misham, and Shemed, who built Ono and Lod with its towns.
  5. Cross References
    Nehemiah 2:19
    But when Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite servant and Geshem the Arab heard of it, they jeered at us and despised us and said, "What is this thing that you are doing? Are you rebelling against the king?
  6. Cross References
    Jeremiah 36:5
    And Jeremiah ordered Baruch, saying, "I am banned from going to the house of the Lord.
  7. Cross References
    Ezekiel 13:17
    And you, son of man, set your face against the daughters of your people, who prophesy out of their own minds. Prophesy against them
    Ezekiel 13:22
    Because you have disheartened the righteous falsely, although I have not grieved him, and you have encouraged the wicked, that he should not turn from his evil way to save his life.
  8. Cross References
    Nehemiah 13:29
    Remember them, O my God, because they have desecrated the priesthood and the covenant of the priesthood and the Levites.
  9. Cross References
    Ezekiel 13:17
    And you, son of man, set your face against the daughters of your people, who prophesy out of their own minds. Prophesy against them
  10. Cross References
    Nehemiah 2:10
    But when Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite servant heard this, it displeased them greatly that someone had come to seek the welfare of the people of Israel.
    Nehemiah 4:1
    Now when Sanballat heard that we were building the wall, he was angry and greatly enraged, and he jeered at the Jews.
    Nehemiah 4:7
    But when Sanballat and Tobiah and the Arabs and the Ammonites and the Ashdodites heard that the repairing of the walls of Jerusalem was going forward and that the breaches were beginning to be closed, they were very angry.
  11. Cross References
    Psalms 126:2
    Then our mouth was filled with laughter, and our tongue with shouts of joy; then they said among the nations, "The Lord has done great things for them.
  12. Cross References
    Ezra 2:5
    The sons of Arah, 775.
  13. Cross References
    Ezra 8:16
    Then I sent for Eliezer, Ariel, Shemaiah, Elnathan, Jarib, Elnathan, Nathan, Zechariah, and Meshullam, leading men, and for Joiarib and Elnathan, who were men of insight.
English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers.
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