Nehemiah 6:13-19

13 For he had taken price, that I should be afeared, and do their will, and that I should do sin; and they should have evil (against me), which they should put to me with shame. (For he had taken money from them, to make me afraid, so that I would do their will, and that I would sin; and then they would have evil to put against me, which they would put on me for my shame.)

14 Lord, have mind of me, for Tobiah and Sanballat, by such works of them; but also of Noadiah, the prophet(ess), and of other prophets, that have made me afeared. (Lord, remember Tobiah, and Sanballat, for all their evil works; and also Noadiah, the prophetess, and the other prophets, who have made me afraid.)

15 And the wall was ended in the five and twentieth day of the month of Elul, that is, August, in two and fifty days. (And so the wall was finished on the twenty-fifth day of the month of Elul, that is, August, after only fifty-two days of rebuilding.)

16 And it was done, when all our enemies had heard, that all [the] heathen men dreaded us, that were in our compass, and they felled down within themselves, and they knew then, that this work was made of God. (And it was done, when all our enemies had heard of this, then all the heathen, who were all around us, feared us, and they fell down within themselves, for they knew then, that this work was done with God's help.)

17 But also in those days many letters of the principal men of (the) Jews were sent to Tobiah, and came from Tobiah to them. (And also in those days many letters were sent from the leaders of the Jews to Tobiah, and came from Tobiah to them.)

18 For many men were in Judah, that had his oath, that is, (who) were sworn to him; for he had wedded the daughter of Shechaniah, the son of Arah; and Johanan, his son, had taken the daughter of Meshullam, the son of Berechiah.

19 But also they praised him before me, and told my words to him; and Tobiah sent letters, to make me afeared. (And so they praised him in front of me, and told him all my words, or what I had said; and Tobiah also sent letters to me, to make me afraid.)

Nehemiah 6:13-19 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.