Nehemiah 6:11

11 But I said, “Should a man like me run away? Or should someone like me go into the temple to save his life? I will not go!”

Nehemiah 6:11 in Other Translations

11 And I said, Should such a man as I flee? and who is there, that, being as I am, would go into the temple to save his life? I will not go in.

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."

11 But I replied, “Should someone in my position run from danger? Should someone in my position enter the Temple to save his life? No, I won’t do it!”

11 I said, "Why would a man like me run for cover? And why would a man like me use The Temple as a hideout? I won't do it."

11 But I said, "Should a man like me run away? How can I enter the temple and live? I will not go."

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 They were all trying to frighten us, thinking, “Their hands will get too weak for the work, and it will not be completed.” But I prayed, “Now strengthen my hands.”

10 One day I went to the house of Shemaiah son of Delaiah, the son of Mehetabel, who was shut in at his home. He said, “Let us meet in the house of God, inside the temple, and let us close the temple doors, because men are coming to kill you—by night they are coming to kill you.”

11 But I said, “Should a man like me run away? Or should someone like me go into the temple to save his life? I will not go!”

12 I realized that God had not sent him, but that he had prophesied against me because Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him.

13 He had been hired to intimidate me so that I would commit a sin by doing this, and then they would give me a bad name to discredit me.