Nehemiah 6
Nehemiah 6 describes the persistent opposition faced by Nehemiah and the Jews during the rebuilding of Jerusalem’s walls. Despite the nearing completion of the project, their enemies—Sanballat, Tobiah, and others—continue to plot against Nehemiah, using deceit, intimidation, and false accusations. Nehemiah's discernment, faith, and determination prevent the enemy’s schemes from succeeding, and the chapter concludes with the completion of the wall and the acknowledgment that their enemies were disheartened by the Jews' accomplishment, which was seen as a work of God.
Nehemiah 6:1-5 (NKJV)
1 Now it happened when Sanballat, Tobiah, Geshem the Arab, and the rest of our enemies heard that I had rebuilt the wall, and that there were no breaks left in it (though at that time I had not hung the doors in the gates),
2 that Sanballat and Geshem sent to me, saying, “Come, let us meet together among the villages in the plain of Ono.” But they thought to do me harm.
3 So I sent messengers to them, saying, “I am doing a great work, so that I cannot come down. Why should the work cease while I leave it and go down to you?”
4 But they sent me this message four times, and I answered them in the same manner.
5 Then Sanballat sent his servant to me as before, the fifth time, with an open letter in his hand.
Nehemiah’s enemies, seeing the success of the wall’s construction, tried to lure him away from the project under false pretenses, intending to harm him. However, Nehemiah discerned their intentions and refused their invitation, remaining focused on the work. They persisted, sending multiple requests, but Nehemiah stood firm in his resolve. This passage highlights the persistence of opposition and Nehemiah’s unwavering commitment to completing the task God had given him.
Nehemiah 6:6-9 (NKJV)
6 In it was written:
It is reported among the nations, and Geshem says, that you and the Jews plan to rebel; therefore, according to these rumors, you are rebuilding the wall, that you may be their king.
7 And you have also appointed prophets to proclaim concerning you at Jerusalem, saying, "There is a king in Judah!" Now these matters will be reported to the king. So come, therefore, and let us consult together.
8 Then I sent to him, saying, "No such things as you say are being done, but you invent them in your own heart."
9 For they all were trying to make us afraid, saying, "Their hands will be weakened in the work, and it will not be done." Now therefore, O God, strengthen my hands.
Sanballat attempted to intimidate Nehemiah by spreading false rumors of rebellion, claiming that Nehemiah was trying to make himself king. This tactic was meant to discredit Nehemiah and cause fear among the people. However, Nehemiah boldly denied these accusations and prayed for strength. He understood that the goal of the opposition was to create fear and weaken their resolve, but he continued to trust in God’s support.
Nehemiah 6:10-14 (NKJV)
10 Afterward I came to the house of Shemaiah the son of Delaiah, the son of Mehetabel, who was a secret informer; and he said, "Let us meet together in the house of God, within the temple, and let us close the doors of the temple, for they are coming to kill you; indeed, at night they will come to kill you."
11 And I said, "Should such a man as I flee? And who is there such as I who would go into the temple to save his life? I will not go in!"
12 Then I perceived that God had not sent him at all, but that he pronounced this prophecy against me because Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him.
13 For this reason he was hired, that I should be afraid and act that way and sin, so that they might have cause for an evil report, that they might reproach me.
14 My God, remember Tobiah and Sanballat, according to these their works, and the prophetess Noadiah and the rest of the prophets who would have made me afraid.
Nehemiah faced another deceptive plot when Shemaiah, a supposed prophet, urged him to take refuge in the Temple, claiming his life was in danger. Nehemiah realized this was a trap intended to discredit him and to compel him to act out of fear, which would give his enemies an excuse to accuse him of cowardice or breaking Temple laws. As a non-priest, Nehemiah understood that entering the Temple for refuge was not permitted for someone in his position. He refused to be intimidated, recognizing the manipulation at play, and prayed for God’s judgment upon those trying to frighten him.
Nehemiah 6:15-16 (NKJV)
15 So the wall was finished on the twenty-fifth day of Elul, in fifty-two days.
16 And it happened, when all our enemies heard of it, and all the nations around us saw these things, that they were very disheartened in their own eyes; for they perceived that this work was done by our God.
Despite all the efforts of Nehemiah’s enemies, the wall was completed in an incredibly short time—just fifty-two days. The rapid completion of the project left their enemies disheartened, as they recognized that God’s hand had been in the work. This moment demonstrated the power of persistence, faith, and the support of God, even in the face of overwhelming opposition.
Nehemiah 6:17-19 (NKJV)
17 Also in those days the nobles of Judah sent many letters to Tobiah, and the letters of Tobiah came to them.
18 For many in Judah were pledged to him, because he was the son-in-law of Shechaniah the son of Arah, and his son Jehohanan had married the daughter of Meshullam the son of Berechiah.
19 Also they reported his good deeds before me, and reported my words to him. Tobiah sent letters to frighten me.
Even after the wall’s completion, the internal opposition continued. Some nobles in Judah were allied with Tobiah through marriage and worked to undermine Nehemiah by reporting his actions to Tobiah and attempting to frighten him. This reveals that, while the physical work of rebuilding was finished, the spiritual and political challenges persisted, and Nehemiah remained vigilant in addressing the ongoing threats.