Nehemiah 6:12

12 And I understood and saw that God had not sent him, ¹but he had pronounced the prophecy against me because Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him.

Nehemiah 6:12 Meaning and Commentary

Nehemiah 6:12

And, lo, I perceived that God had not sent him
Because he advised to that which was against the cause of God and true religion:

but that he pronounced the prophecy against me;
for by fleeing, as he advised, it would seem that he was guilty of the crimes of rebellion and treason he was charged with; and leaving the people, as they would in course break up, he himself could not be long in safety, no, not in the temple:

for Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him;
this he found out afterwards, on purpose to intimidate him, and take such measures as that thereby he would lose his character and his influence.

Nehemiah 6:12 In-Context

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.

14 Remember Tobiah and Sanballat, O my God, according to these things that they did, and also the prophetess Noadiah and the rest of the prophets who wanted to make me afraid.

Cross References

• 1. [Ezekiel 13:17, 22]