Nehemiah 6:11

11 But I said, "Should such a man as I run away? And what man such as I could go into the temple and live?^[a] I will not go in."

Nehemiah 6:11 Meaning and Commentary

Nehemiah 6:11

And I said, should such a man as I flee?
&c.] The king's commissioner, who had the conducting and management of the whole affair of building the wall of Jerusalem, on whom it wholly depended; for, should he absent himself, the people would depart and leave their work, and the city and wall be left defenceless, which was what was hoped for from this scheme; and who had expressed such confidence in God, and had had such success:

and who is there, that, being as I am;
in such a post, and in such circumstances, and on whom so much depended:

would go into the temple to save his life?
or where there was little reason to believe it would be preserved long, should he take such a step as that:

I will not go in;
as being neither lawful, nor honourable, nor safe.

Nehemiah 6:11 In-Context

9 For they all wanted to frighten us, thinking, "Their hands will drop from the work, and it will not be done." But now, O God, strengthen my hands.

10 Now when I went into the house of Shemaiah the son of Delaiah, son of Mehetabel, who was confined to his home, he said, "Let us meet together in the house of God, within the temple. Let us close the doors of the temple, for they are coming to kill you. They are coming to kill you by night."

11 But I said, "Should such a man as I run away? And what man such as I could go into the temple and live? I will not go in."

12 And I understood and saw that God had not sent him, but he had pronounced the prophecy against me because Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him.

13 For this purpose he was hired, that I should be afraid and act in this way and sin, and so they could give me a bad name in order to taunt me.

Footnotes

• [a]. Or would go into the temple to save his life