Nehemiah 6:5

5 The fifth time - same messenger, same message - Sanballat sent an unsealed letter

Nehemiah 6:5 Meaning and Commentary

Nehemiah 6:5

Then sent Sanballat his servant unto me in like manner the
fifth time
In his own name, neither Tobiah nor Geshem joining with him, he being more solicitous and anxious to get him into his hands than any of them; and it may be, as some think, pretending more friendship for him than the rest, and therefore writes alone, as if they knew nothing of his writing:

with an open letter in his hand:
which having in it an intimation of Nehemiah being guilty of treason, anyone that would might read it, and so spread the defamation.

Nehemiah 6:5 In-Context

3 so I sent messengers back with this: "I'm doing a great work; I can't come down. Why should the work come to a standstill just so I can come down to see you?"
4 Four times they sent this message and four times I gave them my answer.
5 The fifth time - same messenger, same message - Sanballat sent an unsealed letter
6 with this message:
7 and that you have appointed prophets to announce in Jerusalem, 'There's a king in Judah!' The king is going to be told all this - don't you think we should sit down and have a talk?"
Published by permission. Originally published by NavPress in English as THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright 2002 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved.