The Wall completed (Nehemiah 6:15): Opposition from without (Nehemiah 6:1-9), and Intrigues within (Nehemiah 6:10-19) 1 9. (_a_) 1 4. Sanballat and his friends try to inveigle Nehemiah away from Jerusalem; (_b_) 5 9. And failing this to play upon his fears by representing him as engaged in heading... [ Continue Reading ]
_when S.… and the rest of our enemies, heard_ R.V. WHEN IT WAS REPORTED TO S.…, AND UNTO THE REST OF OUR ENEMIES. The R.V. is more literal; the passive verb -to be reported" occurs in Nehemiah 6:6-7, and possibly in chap. Nehemiah 13:27. For the spread of previous rumours, cf. Nehemiah 2:19; Nehemia... [ Continue Reading ]
_Sanballat and Geshem_ It is noticeable that Tobiah's name is not also mentioned. Some commentators have held that this omission is to be accounted for by the fact of Tobiah being -the mere servant of Sanballat" (see Nehemiah 2:10). But the explanation seems very improbable when we consider the prom... [ Continue Reading ]
_cease_ -The great work" of rebuilding the walls was one for which Nehemiah was responsible; and it was no doubt literally true that if he quitted the city there would at once be a cessation in the prosecution of the work. The LXX. misunderstood the last clause, ὡς ἂν τελειώσω αὐτὸ καταβήσομαι πρὸς... [ Continue Reading ]
_yet_ R.V. AND. The A.V. suggests the thought which the copula does not express, that in spite of such a rebuff Sanballat and his companions were not daunted. _after this sort … after the same manner_ The Hebrew phrase is the same in both cases. As it occurs again in the next verse (Nehemiah 6:5, -... [ Continue Reading ]
_his servant_ Cf. Nehemiah 4:22. _an open letter in his hand_ -Open," not sealed. The object of this is obvious. It was intended that the contents of the letter should become public property. The servant himself and the adherents of Sanballat within the walls of Jerusalem (Nehemiah 6:17) would posse... [ Continue Reading ]
_among the heathen_ R.V. AMONG THE NATIONS, i.e. among the nations who surrounded the Jews, and were at this time combined against the Jews under Sanballat's leadership. _and Gashmu saith_it] i.e. it is no mere vague rumour. It is asserted by individuals of position and influence. -Gashmu" is gener... [ Continue Reading ]
_thou hast also appointed prophets to preach of thee_ There were doubtless prophets in Jerusalem who supported Nehemiah as well as prophets who opposed him (Nehemiah 6:10-14). Sanballat suggests firstly that Nehemiah had bribed prophets to support him, and secondly that their support was of a treaso... [ Continue Reading ]
_There are no such things_done] Literally, -it has not happened or it has not been done according to these words." Nehemiah contents himself with curtly retorting that there is no sort of foundation for Sanballat's words. The letters of Artaxerxes to -the governor beyond the river" (Nehemiah 2:9) we... [ Continue Reading ]
_For they all made us afraid_ R.V. FOR THEY ALL WOULD HAVE MADE US AFRAID. The participle in the original does not convey more than that the attempt was made. It does not assert, as the A.V. rendering, that the attempt succeeded. By -they all" Nehemiah refers to the enemies mentioned in Nehemiah 6:1... [ Continue Reading ]
Dangers from within: False Prophets (Nehemiah 6:10-14) 10. _Afterward I came_ R.V. AND I WENT. There is no note of time expressed. _Shemaiah the son of Delaiah_ Not otherwise known; apparently a priest and a prophet. The name Delaiah occurs in 1 Chronicles 24:18 as that of the three-and-twentieth... [ Continue Reading ]
_And lo, I perceived that_ R.V. AND I DISCERNED, AND, LO. The R.V. gives the verb the requisite sense of -recognition" as in Genesis 27:23, -he discerned him not." Not as some commentators -I considered." Of a sudden, as it were, Nehemiah distinguishes the man's object. The interjection -and, lo," f... [ Continue Reading ]
_Therefore_ R.V. FOR THIS CAUSE. _and sin_ i.e. by transgressing -the law," by violating the sanctity of the House of God. matter _for an evil report_ Literally, -and that it might be to them for an evil name." The Vulgate gives the sense generally -et haberent malum quod exprobrarent mihi." The L... [ Continue Reading ]
_My God, think thou upon_ R.V. REMEMBER, O MY GOD. Tobiah's name stands before Sanballat's. Cf. Nehemiah 6:12. _and on the prophetess_ R.V. AND ALSO THE PROPHETESS. Noadiah's name only occurs here. We know from the case of Huldah and Anna that women were sometimes privileged to possess the gift of p... [ Continue Reading ]
The Completion of the Wall (Nehemiah 6:15); and the impression produced (Nehemiah 6:16): treasonable correspondence (Nehemiah 6:17-19) 15. _Elul_ This month, which is the same as the Assyrian U-lu-lu, corresponds to the end of August and beginning of September. It is mentioned in 1Ma 14:27. The 25t... [ Continue Reading ]
_all our enemies_ Cf. Nehemiah 4:1; Nehemiah 5:9; Nehemiah 6:1. _that when … and all the heathen … saw_these things, _they_, &c. R.V. WHEN … THAT ALL THE HEATHEN … FEARED, AND, &c. Marg. -According to another reading, _saw_". There is little distinction to be drawn between -the enemies" and -the hea... [ Continue Reading ]
_in those days_ i.e. during the whole of this period a treasonable correspondence was carried on between Tobiah and the disaffected Jewish nobles. That these included the family of the High-priest is rendered probable by Chap. Nehemiah 13:4.... [ Continue Reading ]
_sworn unto him, because he_was _the son in law of_, &c. -Sworn unto him." LXX. ἔνορκοι … αὐτῷ. It is implied that Tobiah's connexion by marriage ensured him the support of many leading Jews; the conjunction -because" suggests that the members of a family on welcoming a stranger within their circle,... [ Continue Reading ]
_reported … uttered_ R.V. SPOKE OF … REPORTED. The Hebrew gives the idea of continuous action. They endeavoured to convince Nehemiah that Tobiah's professions of goodwill were sincere. Perhaps too they spoke of the generous way in which he distributed money among the Jews. On the other hand they com... [ Continue Reading ]