Nehemiah 6: Plots against Nehemiah, and the wall finished in fifty-two days
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What happens?
Sanballat, Tobiah and Geshem hear that the wall is built, though the doors are not yet set in the gates. They send for Nehemiah four times, he refuses each time, and the fifth time Sanballat sends an open letter saying that he and the Jews plan to rebel and that he would be their king. Nehemiah answers that it is invented, and a man named Shemaiah tells him to meet in the temple and shut its doors, but Nehemiah sees God did not send him. The wall is finished on the twenty-fifth day of Elul, in fifty-two days, and the enemies are afraid. Tobiah keeps sending letters to frighten him.
Who is speaking?
God does not speak in this chapter, so nothing is in gold. Nehemiah tells it as "I". Sanballat and Geshem speak in verse 2, and Sanballat's open letter is quoted in verses 6 and 7. Nehemiah answers in verses 3 and 8, and in verse 9 adds "But now, strengthen my hands". Shemaiah speaks in verse 10, and Nehemiah replies in verse 11. Verse 14 is Nehemiah's own prayer. The enemies' words in verse 9 ("Their hands will be weakened...") are what Nehemiah says they said. God's own words are printed in gold, and those verses are marked God speaks
1Now when it was reported to Sanballat, Tobiah, Geshem the Arabian, and to the rest of our enemies that I had built the wall, and that there was no breach left in it (though even to that time I had not set up the doors in the gates),
In plain English: When it was reported to Sanballat, Tobiah, Geshem the Arab and the rest of our enemies that I had rebuilt the wall and that no gap was left in it (though until that time I had not set up the doors in the gates),
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2Sanballat and Geshem sent to me, saying, “Come! Let’s meet together in the villages in the plain of Ono.” But they intended to harm me.
In plain English: Sanballat and Geshem sent to me, saying, "Come, let us meet together at Kephirim (or: in the villages) in the plain of Ono." But they were planning to do me harm.
The Hebrew word: "Villages" is kephirim, which the dictionary gives as "a village (as covered in by walls); also a young lion (perhaps as covered with a mane)". It is in this verse only in Nehemiah, and the WEB says "villages".
What changes: With "villages" the meeting place is in the villages in the plain of Ono. With the Hebrew read as a name, it is at Kephirim in the plain of Ono. The text says only that the two men were planning to do Nehemiah harm.
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3I sent messengers to them, saying, “I am doing a great work, so that I can’t come down. Why should the work cease while I leave it and come down to you?”
In plain English: So I sent messengers to them, saying, "I am doing a great work and cannot come down. Why should the work stop while I leave it and come down to you?"
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4They sent to me four times like this; and I answered them the same way.
In plain English: They sent to me four times in this way, and I answered them in the same way.
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5Then Sanballat sent his servant to me the same way the fifth time with an open letter in his hand,
In plain English: Then Sanballat sent his servant (or: young man) to me in the same way a fifth time, with an open letter in his hand,
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6in which was written, “It is reported among the nations, and Gashmu says it, that you and the Jews intend to rebel. Because of that, you are building the wall. You would be their king, according to these words.
In plain English: in which was written: "It is heard among the nations, and Gashmu says it, that you and the Jews are planning to rebel. That is why you are building the wall. And according to these words, you are to become their king (or: you would be their king).
The Hebrew word: "Gashmu" is the Hebrew Geshem (the dictionary gives "Geshem or Gashmu, an Arabian"). It is in 4 verses of Nehemiah, and the WEB says "Geshem" in 3 and "Gashmu" in 1, this one.
Good to know: Whether the Gashmu of the letter is the Geshem of and is not said; it is the same Hebrew name. The letter is an open letter, written, as the verse says, to be read.
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7You have also appointed prophets to proclaim of you at Jerusalem, saying, ‘There is a king in Judah!’ Now it will be reported to the king according to these words. Come now therefore, and let’s take counsel together.”
In plain English: You have also appointed prophets to proclaim about you in Jerusalem, saying, 'There is a king in Judah.' Now it will be heard by the king according to these words. So come now, and let us take counsel together."
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8Then I sent to him, saying, “There are no such things done as you say, but you imagine them out of your own heart.”
In plain English: Then I sent to him, saying, "Nothing like what you say has happened. You are making it up out of your own heart."
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9For they all would have made us afraid, saying, “Their hands will be weakened from the work, that it not be done.” But now, strengthen my hands.
In plain English: For all of them were making us afraid, saying, "Their hands will drop from the work, and it will not be done." But now, strengthen my hands.
Good to know: Nehemiah says his enemies were making "us" afraid, and then, in the last words of the verse, he says "strengthen my hands". The Hebrew does not name who is asked. It can be read as a short prayer to God, or as a word to those around him. The text does not say.
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10I went to the house of Shemaiah the son of Delaiah the son of Mehetabel, who was shut in at his home; and he said, “Let us meet together in God’s house, within the temple, and let’s shut the doors of the temple; for they will come to kill you. Yes, in the night they will come to kill you.”
In plain English: I went to the house of Shemaiah son of Delaiah son of Mehetabel, who was shut in. He said, "Let us meet together in God's house, in the middle of the temple, and let us shut the doors of the temple, for they are coming to kill you. Yes, by night they are coming to kill you."
The Hebrew word: "Shut in" is atsar, which the dictionary gives as "to inclose; by analogy, to hold back; also to maintain, rule, assemble". It is in this verse only in Nehemiah, and the WEB says "shut". The text does not say why Shemaiah was shut in.
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11I said, “Should a man like me flee? Who is there that, being such as I, would go into the temple to save his life? I will not go in.”
In plain English: I said, "Should a man like me run away? And who like me could go into the temple and live (or: to save his life)? I will not go in."
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12I discerned, and behold, God had not sent him, but he pronounced this prophecy against me. Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him.
In plain English: I recognized that God had not sent him, but that he spoke this prophecy against me, and Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him.
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13He was hired so that I would be afraid, do so, and sin, and that they might have material for an evil report, that they might reproach me.
In plain English: He was hired so that I would be afraid and do this and sin, and so that they would have a bad name (or: material for an evil report) to reproach me with.
The Hebrew words: "Material for an evil report" is the Hebrew shem ("a name") with "bad".
How it is translated: The WEB reads the words as "material for an evil report". Word for word they are "a bad name". The text does not say whose name or how it would be used beyond what the verse gives.
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14“Remember, my God, Tobiah and Sanballat according to these their works, and also the prophetess Noadiah and the rest of the prophets that would have put me in fear.”
In plain English: Remember, my God, Tobiah and Sanballat, according to these works of theirs, and also the prophetess Noadiah and the rest of the prophets who were trying to make me afraid.
Good to know: This is Nehemiah's own prayer, asking God to remember Tobiah and Sanballat, the prophetess Noadiah and the rest of the prophets for what they did. Noadiah is named only here in Nehemiah, and the text says no more about her.
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15So the wall was finished in the twenty-fifth day of Elul, in fifty-two days.
In plain English: So the wall was finished on the twenty-fifth day of Elul, in fifty-two days.
Good to know: The text gives its own numbers: the twenty-fifth day of Elul, and fifty-two days. It does not say from what day the fifty-two are counted, and none is added here.
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16When all our enemies heard of it, all the nations that were around us were afraid, and they lost their confidence; for they perceived that this work was done by our God.
In plain English: When all our enemies heard of it, all the nations around us were afraid. They fell greatly in their own eyes (or: lost their confidence), for they knew that this work was done by (literally: from with) our God.
The Hebrew words: "They lost their confidence" is the Hebrew "they fell exceedingly in their own eyes". "Done by our God" is the Hebrew "from with our God".
What changes: With the Hebrew word for word, the nations fell greatly in their own eyes and knew the work was from our God. The WEB puts the same in smoother English. The meaning is close in both.
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17Moreover in those days the nobles of Judah sent many letters to Tobiah, and Tobiah’s letters came to them.
In plain English: Also in those days the nobles of Judah sent many letters to Tobiah, and Tobiah's letters came to them.
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18For there were many in Judah sworn to him because he was the son-in-law of Shecaniah the son of Arah; and his son Jehohanan had taken the daughter of Meshullam the son of Berechiah as wife.
In plain English: For many in Judah were sworn to him (literally: lords of oath to him), because he was the son-in-law of Shecaniah son of Arah. And his son Jehohanan had taken the daughter of Meshullam son of Berechiah as his wife.
The Hebrew words: "Sworn to him" is baal with shebuah. The dictionary gives baal as "a master; hence, a husband, or (figuratively) owner", and shebuah as "properly, something sworn, i.e. an oath". The Hebrew reads "lords of oath to him". The WEB says "sworn".
Good to know: The text gives the reason: Tobiah was the son-in-law of Shecaniah son of Arah, and his son Jehohanan had married the daughter of Meshullam son of Berechiah. It does not say more about the oaths.
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19Also they spoke of his good deeds before me, and reported my words to him. Tobiah sent letters to put me in fear.
In plain English: They also kept speaking of his good deeds before me and reporting my words to him. Tobiah sent letters to make me afraid.
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