Nehemiah 6: Finishing Despite the Threats
Through repeated traps, slander, and a hired false prophet, Nehemiah refuses to be distracted or frightened, and the wall is finished in fifty-two days.
Nehemiah 6 (WEB)
1 Now when it was reported to Sanballat and Tobiah, and to Geshem the Arabian, and to the rest of our enemies, that I had built the wall, and that there was no breach left therein; (though even to that time I had not set up the doors in the gates;)
2 Sanballat and Geshem sent to me, saying, “Come, let us meet together in the villages in the plain of Ono.” But they intended to harm me.
3 I sent messengers to them, saying, “I am doing a great work, so that I can’t come down. Why should the work cease, while I leave it, and come down to you?”
4 They sent to me four times after this sort; and I answered them the same way.
5 Then Sanballat sent his servant to me the same way the fifth time with an open letter in his hand,
6 in which was written, “It is reported among the nations, and Gashmu says it, that you and the Jews intend to rebel. Because of that, you are building the wall. You would be their king, according to these words.
7 You have also appointed prophets to preach of you at Jerusalem, saying, ‘There is a king in Judah!’ Now it will be reported to the king according to these words. Come now therefore, and let us take counsel together.”
8 Then I sent to him, saying, “There are no such things done as you say, but you imagine them out of your own heart.”
9 For they all would have made us afraid, saying, “Their hands will be weakened from the work, that it not be done.” But now, strengthen my hands.
10 I went to the house of Shemaiah the son of Delaiah the son of Mehetabel, who was shut in at his home; and he said, “Let us meet together in God’s house, within the temple, and let us shut the doors of the temple; for they will come to kill you; yes, in the night will they come to kill you.”
11 I said, “Should such a man as I flee? Who is there that, being such as I, would go into the temple to save his life? I will not go in.”
12 I discerned, and behold, God had not sent him; but he pronounced this prophecy against me. Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him.
13 He hired so that I would be afraid, do so, and sin, and that they might have material for an evil report, that they might reproach me.
14 “Remember, my God, Tobiah and Sanballat according to these their works, and also the prophetess Noadiah, and the rest of the prophets, that would have put me in fear.”
15 So the wall was finished in the twenty-fifth day of Elul, in fifty-two days.
16 When all our enemies heard of it, all the nations that were around us were afraid, and were much cast down in their own eyes; for they perceived that this work was worked of our God.
17 Moreover in those days the nobles of Judah sent many letters to Tobiah, and Tobiah’s letters came to them.
18 For there were many in Judah sworn to him, because he was the son-in-law of Shecaniah the son of Arah; and his son Jehohanan had taken the daughter of Meshullam the son of Berechiah as wife.
19 Also they spoke of his good deeds before me, and reported my words to him. Tobiah sent letters to put me in fear.
Nehemiah 6 (KJV)
1 Now it came to pass, when Sanballat, and Tobiah, and Geshem the Arabian, and the rest of our enemies, heard that I had builded the wall, and that there was no breach left therein; (though at that time I had not set up the doors upon the gates;)
2 That Sanballat and Geshem sent unto me, saying, Come, let us meet together in some one of the villages in the plain of Ono. But they thought to do me mischief.
3 And I sent messengers unto them, saying, I am doing a great work, so that I cannot come down: why should the work cease, whilst I leave it, and come down to you?
4 Yet they sent unto me four times after this sort; and I answered them after the same manner.
5 Then sent Sanballat his servant unto me in like manner the fifth time with an open letter in his hand;
6 Wherein was written, It is reported among the heathen, and Gashmu saith it, that thou and the Jews think to rebel: for which cause thou buildest the wall, that thou mayest be their king, according to these words.
7 And thou hast also appointed prophets to preach of thee at Jerusalem, saying, There is a king in Judah: and now shall it be reported to the king according to these words. Come now therefore, and let us take counsel together.
8 Then I sent unto him, saying, There are no such things done as thou sayest, but thou feignest them out of thine own heart.
9 For they all made us afraid, saying, Their hands shall be weakened from the work, that it be not done. Now therefore, O God, strengthen my hands.
10 Afterward I came unto the house of Shemaiah the son of Delaiah the son of Mehetabeel, who was shut up; and he said, Let us meet together in the house of God, within the temple, and let us shut the doors of the temple: for they will come to slay thee; yea, in the night will they come to slay thee.
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.
12 And, lo, I perceived that God had not sent him; but that he pronounced this prophecy against me: for Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him.
13 Therefore was he hired, that I should be afraid, and do so, and sin, and that they might have matter for an evil report, that they might reproach me.
14 My God, think thou upon Tobiah and Sanballat according to these their works, and on the prophetess Noadiah, and the rest of the prophets, that would have put me in fear.
15 So the wall was finished in the twenty and fifth day of the month Elul, in fifty and two days.
16 And it came to pass, that when all our enemies heard thereof, and all the heathen that were about us saw these things, they were much cast down in their own eyes: for they perceived that this work was wrought of our God.
17 Moreover in those days the nobles of Judah sent many letters unto Tobiah, and the letters of Tobiah came unto them.
18 For there were many in Judah sworn unto him, because he was the son in law of Shechaniah the son of Arah; and his son Johanan had taken the daughter of Meshullam the son of Berechiah.
19 Also they reported his good deeds before me, and uttered my words to him. And Tobiah sent letters to put me in fear.
Nehemiah 6 (ASV)
1 Now it came to pass, when it was reported to Sanballat and Tobiah, and to Geshem the Arabian, and unto the rest of our enemies, that I had builded the wall, and that there was no breach left therein (though even unto that time I had not set up the doors in the gates),
2 that Sanballat and Geshem sent unto me, saying, Come, let us meet together in one of the villages in the plain of Ono. But they thought to do me mischief.
3 And I sent messengers unto them, saying, I am doing a great work, so that I cannot come down: why should the work cease, whilst I leave it, and come down to you?
4 And they sent unto me four times after this sort; and I answered them after the same manner.
5 Then sent Sanballat his servant unto me in like manner the fifth time with an open letter in his hand,
6 wherein was written, It is reported among the nations, and Gashmu saith it, that thou and the Jews think to rebel; for which cause thou art building the wall: and thou wouldest be their king, according to these words.
7 And thou hast also appointed prophets to preach of thee at Jerusalem, saying, There is a king in Judah: and now shall it be reported to the king according to these words. Come now therefore, and let us take counsel together.
8 Then I sent unto him, saying, There are no such things done as thou sayest, but thou feignest them out of thine own heart.
9 For they all would have made us afraid, saying, Their hands shall be weakened from the work, that it be not done. But now, O God, strengthen thou my hands.
10 And I went unto the house of Shemaiah the son of Delaiah the son of Mehetabel, who was shut up; and he said, Let us meet together in the house of God, within the temple, and let us shut the doors of the temple: for they will come to slay thee; yea, in the night will they come to slay thee.
11 And I said, Should such a man as I flee? and who is there, that, being such as I, would go into the temple to save his life? I will not go in.
12 And I discerned, and, lo, God had not sent him; but he pronounced this prophecy against me: and Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him.
13 For this cause was he hired, that I should be afraid, and do so, and sin, and that they might have matter for an evil report, that they might reproach me.
14 Remember, O my God, Tobiah and Sanballat according to these their works, and also the prophetess Noadiah, and the rest of the prophets, that would have put me in fear.
15 So the wall was finished in the twenty and fifthdayofthe monthElul, in fifty and two days.
16 And it came to pass, when all our enemies heardthereof, that all the nations that were about us feared, and were much cast down in their own eyes; for they perceived that this work was wrought of our God.
17 Moreover in those days the nobles of Judah sent many letters unto Tobiah, and the letters of Tobiah came unto them.
18 For there were many in Judah sworn unto him, because he was the son-in-law of Shecaniah the son of Arah; and his son Jehohanan had taken the daughter of Meshullam the son of Berechiah to wife.
19 Also they spake of his good deeds before me, and reported my words to him. And Tobiah sent letters to put me in fear.
Summary
With the wall nearly complete, the enemies change tactics from open attack to deception and intimidation. Sanballat and Geshem repeatedly invite Nehemiah to meet in the plain of Ono, intending to harm him, but four times he refuses with the same answer: he is doing a great work and cannot come down. A fifth message arrives as an open letter spreading the rumor that Nehemiah is building the wall to make himself king and rebel against Persia; Nehemiah replies that they are inventing it out of their own hearts, and he prays for God to strengthen his hands. Then a hired prophet, Shemaiah, urges Nehemiah to hide in the temple to save his life, but Nehemiah discerns that God has not sent him and that the message is meant to make him sin and be discredited. He refuses to flee, asking why a man like him should run. So the wall is finished in just fifty-two days, and when the surrounding nations hear of it, they are afraid and downcast, for they perceive that the work was accomplished by God. Even so, the chapter notes that Tobiah remains entangled with nobles in Judah through marriage alliances, still sending letters to intimidate Nehemiah, a reminder that opposition persists even after victory.
Main Characters
- Nehemiah — The leader who refuses distraction, slander, and intimidation, discerns deception, presses on to finish the wall, and gives God the credit.
- Sanballat and Geshem — Opponents who try to lure Nehemiah into a trap and spread a false rumor that he intends to rebel and crown himself king.
- Shemaiah and the hired prophets — Religious figures bribed by Tobiah and Sanballat to frighten Nehemiah into a sinful, faithless act that would discredit him.
- Tobiah — The persistent enemy who, through marriage alliances among Judah's nobles, keeps sending letters to intimidate Nehemiah even after the wall is done.
Key Verse
Nehemiah 6:3 (WEB)
I sent messengers to them, saying, “I am doing a great work, so that I can’t come down. Why should the work cease, while I leave it, and come down to you?”
Lessons Learned
- Distraction can be as dangerous to God's work as direct attack.
- We need discernment to recognize when even religious-sounding advice leads us away from God.
- Integrity refuses to act out of fear in ways that would dishonor God.
- When a work is clearly God's, even enemies are forced to recognize his hand.
- Stay on mission; refuse distraction. Nehemiah answers every summons the same way: “I am doing a great work, so that I can’t come down” (Nehemiah 6:3, WEB). Clarity of calling guards against being pulled aside.
- Turn slander into prayer. Against the rumor of rebellion, Nehemiah denies it and prays, “strengthen my hands” (Nehemiah 6:9, WEB). He answers lies with truth and dependence on God.
- Test advice against God's character. Of the hired prophet Nehemiah says, “I discerned… God had not sent him” (Nehemiah 6:12, WEB). Not every spiritual-sounding word is from God.
- Finished work testifies to God. When the wall was done, the nations “perceived that this work was worked of our God” (Nehemiah 6:16, WEB). God's accomplishment silences his critics.
- What different tactics do the enemies use in this chapter, and how do they differ from chapter 4?
- Why is Nehemiah's repeated answer, “I am doing a great work,” so effective against distraction?
- How does Nehemiah discern that Shemaiah's advice is not from God?
- What is the significance of the nations recognizing that the work was done by God?
- What “great work” has God given you that you must guard against being lured away from?
- Where chapter 4 brought ridicule and threats of violence, chapter 6 brings subtler attacks: repeated invitations meant to trap him (6:2), a slanderous open letter accusing him of treason (6:5-7), and a bribed prophet urging him to a faithless, sinful act (6:10-13). The shift from force to deception is often more dangerous.
- His answer keeps the main thing the main thing. By refusing to “come down” to negotiate or defend himself, Nehemiah denies his enemies the chance to derail the project. A clear sense of God's calling lets him decline even reasonable-sounding interruptions for the sake of the work.
- Nehemiah weighs the message against what he knows of God and his own integrity, recognizing that hiding in the temple would be both cowardly and unlawful for him, and would give enemies grounds to reproach him (6:11-13). He concludes God had not sent Shemaiah. Discernment tests counsel by Scripture and character, not by spiritual packaging.
- The completed wall, finished in only fifty-two days against fierce opposition, convinces even the hostile nations that God was at work (6:16). When God accomplishes what seemed impossible, the result itself becomes a witness, humbling opponents and glorifying him.
- This is a personal-application question. Invite members to name the calling, relationship, or responsibility God has entrusted to them, and the distractions or fears that tempt them away. As leader, encourage Nehemiah-like focus and the discernment to recognize counsel that pulls us from faithfulness.