Nehemiah 6:1-9

1 Now it came to pass, when Sanaballat, and Tobias, and Gesam the Arabian, and the rest of our enemies, heard that I had built the wall, and there was no opening left therein; ( hitherto I had not set up the doors on the gates;)

2 that Sanaballat and Gesam sent to me, saying, Come and let us meet together in the villages in the plain of Ono. But they plotting to do me mischief.

3 So I sent messengers to them, saying, I am doing a great work, and I shall not be able to come down, lest the work should cease: as soon as I shall have finished it, I will come down to you.

4 And they sent to me to this effect; and I sent them accordingly.

5 Then Sanaballat sent his servant to me with an open letter in his hand.

6 And in it was written, It has been reported among the Gentiles that thou and the Jews are planning to revolt: therefore thou art building the wall, and thou wilt be a king to them.

7 And moreover thou has appointed prophets to thyself, that thou mightest dwell in Jerusalem as a king over Juda: and now these words will be reported to the king. Now then, come, let us take counsel together.

8 And I sent to him, saying, It has not happened according to these words, as thou sayest, for thou framest them falsely out of thy heart.

9 For all were trying to alarm us, saying, Their hands shall be weakened from this work, and it shall not be done. Now therefore I have strengthened my hands.

Nehemiah 6:1-9 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO NEHEMIAH 6

Sanballat and his brethren, hearing the wall was finished, sent to Nehemiah, to have a meeting with him at a place named, which he refused, Ne 6:1,2, then they sent him a terrifying letter, suggesting that he, and the Jews with him, would be treated as rebels, since their intention, as reported, was to make him king, which letter he regarded not, Ne 6:3-9, then they employed some that pretended to be prophets to advise him to flee to the temple for safety, which he rejected, Ne 6:10-14 and so the work went on and was finished, though there was a secret correspondence carried on between their enemies and some false brethren among themselves, Ne 6:15-19.