Nehemiah 6

CHAPTER 6

Further Opposition to the Rebuilding (6:1–14)

1–4 When Sanballat, Tobiah, and their associates heard that the wall had been built, they changed their tactics and tried to get rid of Nehemiah himself. First they sent him friendly messages inviting him to come to a place outside Jerusalem, where they intended to do him harm (verse 2). Satan is always most dangerous when he pretends to be your friend!

5–9 When that tactic failed, Sanballat sent an unsealed letter to Nehemiah—a letter that was meant to be read by others—suggesting that Nehemiah was plotting to become king of Judah; this false report was designed to get Nehemiah in trouble with King Artaxerxes. No other kings were tolerated within the Persian Empire; if Artaxerxes were to hear about the letter, he would surely suspect Nehemiah of leading a rebellion.

Nehemiah told Sanballat that his letter was totally false.¹⁵ Nehemiah knew that all the schemes of his opponents were designed to demoralize the Jews—to make their hands . . . too weak for the work (verse 9).

10–14 Tobiah and Sanballat’s final scheme was to frighten Nehemiah into seeking refuge inside the temple (verse 10), where only priests were allowed to enter (Numbers 18:7). They hired a false prophet named Shemaiah to try and convince Nehemiah his life was in danger. But Nehemiah detected the scheme: only a false prophet would entice a layperson to enter the temple and thus sin against God. His enemies were trying to make Nehemiah out to be both a coward and a sinner, thereby discrediting him in the eyes of his people. With Nehemiah discredited, the people of Judah would no longer have a leader they could look up to, and—so Tobiah and Sanballat hoped—they would soon fall under the influence of their enemies. However, this final scheme of Tobiah and Sanballat was also thwarted; Nehemiah could not be tempted either to act like a coward or to sin against God.

The Completion of the Wall (6:15–19)

15–19 The wall had lain in ruins for almost a hundred and fifty years; it was rebuilt in fifty-two days. Such a feat was made possible because of the leadership of Nehemiah; but more importantly, it was made possible by the enabling of Israel’s God. Even the surrounding nations recognized this, and as a result, they lost their self-confidence (verse 16).

Sanballat’s associate Tobiah had married into a prominent Jewish family. This is one reason Tobiah was able to cause so much trouble; he and his family were undermining Nehemiah’s leadership from within the Jewish community. And even after the wall was completed, Tobiah continued to do so¹⁶ (verse 19).

Just building a wall is not enough to create a strong community; Nehemiah realized that building the wall was only a first step. Throughout the remaining chapters, Nehemiah describes some of the reforms he and Ezra carried out that helped the people of Judah truly become the people of God.