Nehemiah 6

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Nehemiah 6:6

Wherein was written, it is reported among, the Heathen ,.... Among the several neighbouring nations; it was an affair that was not whispered about among a few only; it was common talk, it was in every body's mouth in divers nations: and Gashmu saith it ; the same with Geshem the Arabian; he affirms it, and will abide by his assertion, and engages to make good what he says; he mentions him by name, who he knew would not be offended with him for making use of it, and who doubtless agreed... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Nehemiah 6:7

And thou hast also appointed prophets to preach of thee at Jerusalem ,.... This he said to cover what he and Tobiah had been doing, tampering with, corrupting, and hiring the prophets to discourage him, and put him upon methods, whereby the work would cease: saying, there is a king in Judah ; besides Artaxerxes, whose yoke they were casting off, having got a king of their own, and among them: and now shall it be reported to the king, according to these words ; such a report as this,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Nehemiah 6:8

Then I sent unto him ,.... Whether a letter, or a messenger, is not said: saying there are no such things done as thou sayest ; that there was any scheme formed to rebel, and make him king, or that prophets were appointed to declare him such: but thou feignest them out of thine own heart ; in short, that they were no other than lies of his own inventing. read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Nehemiah 6:9

For they all made us afraid ,.... Or you all, as Aben Ezra interprets it; or all the Heathen nations, as Jarchi; this was the design of all those scandalous reports, to intimidate them, and with this they pleased themselves, as follows: their hands shall be weakened from the work, that it be not done ; this they hoped would be the effect of those reports sent to them: now, therefore, O God, strengthen my hands ; and let them not have what they will, and hope for; according to Aben... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Nehemiah 6:10

Afterward I came unto the house of Shemaiah the son of Delaiah, the son of Mehetabeel, who was shut up ,.... Either in his own house, or in a chamber in the temple, as if he had given himself up to meditation, fasting, and prayer; or, as he might suggest to Nehemiah, for his safety, and so designed it as an example to him; this man might be a priest of the course of Delaiah, 1 Chronicles 24:18 or however he was a person Nehemiah had a good opinion of, and came to him on the letters sent to... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Nehemiah 6:11

And I said, should such a man as I flee ?.... 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... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible 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... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Nehemiah 6:13

Therefore was he hired, that I should be afraid, and do so , and sin ,.... By distrusting the power and providence of God to protect him, and by going into such a part of the temple, which he, being no priest, had no right to go into: and that they might have matter for an evil report, that they might reproach me ; as a rebel and traitor against the king, which had been reported of him, and which would be strengthened by such a step. read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Nehemiah 6:14

My God, think thou on Tobiah and Sanballat according to these their works ,.... Their wicked counsels and schemes, and not only confound and disappoint them, but reward them as they deserve: and on the prophetess Noadiah : whom Aben Ezra takes to be the same with Shemaiah, because he said, נועד , "let us meet", &c.; Nehemiah 6:10 , but no doubt it is the name of a woman, a false prophetess, and was hired, and in the same scheme with Shemaiah: and the rest of the prophets that... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Nehemiah 6:15

So the wall was finished in the twenty fifth day of the month Elul ,.... The sixth month, answering to part of August and part of September: in fifty and two days ; which Aben Ezra reckons from the time that Sanballat sent his letter to Nehemiah, when no more were wanting than to set the doors upon the gates, Nehemiah 6:1 , but rather these, with Jarchi, must be reckoned from the time the building was begun; which, reckoning back from the twenty fifth of Elul, it will appear it was... read more

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