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Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Nehemiah 6:15-19

Nehemiah is here finishing the wall of Jerusalem, and yet still has trouble created him by his enemies. I. Tobiah, and the other adversaries of the Jews, had the mortification to see the wall built up, notwithstanding all their attempts to hinder it. The wall was begun and finished in fifty-two days, and yet we have reason to believe they rested on the sabbaths, Neh. 6:15. Many were employed, and there was room for them; what they did they did cheerfully, and minded their business because they... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Nehemiah 6:17

Moreover, in those days ,.... While the wall was building: the nobles of Judah sent many letters to Tobiah, and the letters of Tobiah came unto them ; letters passed between them frequently, they informing him how things went on at Jerusalem, and he advising them to what was detrimental to the true interest of their nation; such false friends had Nehemiah about him, and yet the work succeeded under him; which showed it the more to be of God. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Nehemiah 6:17

The nobles of Judah sent many letters - The circumstances marked in this and the following verses show still more clearly the difficulties which Nehemiah had to encounter; he had enemies without and false friends within. A treacherous correspondence was carried on between the nobles of Judah and the Ammonites; and had almost any other man been at the head of the Jewish affairs, Jerusalem had never been re-established. read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Nehemiah 6:10-19

Enemies within. I. FALSE PROPHETS . Who prostituted their office by hiring themselves to the enemies without. For they "loved the wages of unrighteousness." 1. One tempted him to break the law by fleeing into the holy place, and shutting himself up there, where no one but a priest or Levite might enter. This he did on the pretence that Nehemiah's life was in danger (verse 10); and he hoped that the governor, consenting to the proposal, would bring himself into disgrace with the... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Nehemiah 6:10-19

Trial and victory. Defeated again, the enemy has recourse to other schemes. It would be interesting to know what were the expectations with which Nehemiah set out from Susa to enter upon the work before him. If we could tell what was then in his mind, we should probably find there anticipations very unlike indeed to his actual experiences. Probably, if he could have foreseen his difficulties, he might have shrunk from the task. Happily we do not foresee the perplexities of Christian toil;... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Nehemiah 6:15-19

The good work finished in spite of man by the power of God. I. A great MANIFESTATION OF DIVINE POWER is a great casting down of God's enemies. 1. There is real weakness in all sin. "In their own eyes" defeat meant shame and confusion; but the true heart never doubts that its cause is right, even when success is delayed. 2. The world will perceive God ' s hand. When the finished work is before them they will not dare to deny who has accomplished it. Therefore we... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Nehemiah 6:17

Moreover in those days . Ewald supposes that the circumstances here related ( Nehemiah 6:17-19 ) were subsequent to the completion of the wall; but the expression "in those days" seems rather to throw back the events into the time during which the wall was in building. The passage is a sort of explanatory note, showing us how Tobiah came to be able to raise those intrigues inside Jerusalem which have been mentioned in Nehemiah 6:12-14 . And the letters of Tobiah came unto them .... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Nehemiah 6:17-18

Nehemiah 6:17-18. The nobles of Judah sent many letters unto Tobiah Corresponding with him against Nehemiah, and against their own city and nation. So that, added to all the other wickedness of this people, there were false brethren among their great men, who favoured, aided, and abetted the designs of their enemies, Nehemiah 6:18. There were many in Judah sworn unto him To be true to him in the prosecution of his wicked designs. Because his son had taken the daughter of Meshullam This... read more

Donald C. Fleming

Bridgeway Bible Commentary - Nehemiah 6:1-19

The wall completed (6:1-7:73)With the wall nearing completion, the enemies saw that their only hope lay in getting rid of Nehemiah himself. They tried to draw him out into the country where they could murder him, but Nehemiah was aware of their tricks (6:1-4). They then spread rumours, by means of an open letter, that Nehemiah was planning a revolt against Persia, but their efforts came to nothing (5-9).The enemies thought of yet another plan. They tried to make Nehemiah act in a way that would... read more

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