Nehemiah 6:15-19

4. Success is achieved in spite of some differences with Tobiah.

TEXT, Nehemiah 6:15-19

15

So the wall was completed on the twenty-fifth of the month Elul, in fifty-two days.

16

And it came about when all our enemies heard of it, and all the nations surrounding us saw it, they lost their confidence; for they recognized that this work had been accomplished with the help of our God.

17

Also in those days many letters went from the nobles of Judah to Tobiah, and Tobiah's letters came to them.

18

For many in Judah were bound by oath to him because he was the son-in-law of Shecaniah the son of Arah, and his son Jehohanan had married the daughter of Meshullam the son of Berechiah.

19

Moreover, they were speaking about his good deeds in my presence and reported my words to him. Then Tobiah sent letters to frighten me.

COMMENT

Nehemiah 6:15 reports the completion of the wall; the date, in the month of Elul, would correspond with the middle of September. Total time required for the work was fifty-two days. This seems incredible to many; Josephus supposes it to have taken two years and four months.[61] This seems unnecessary.

[61] Antiquities of The Jews, Book XI, chap. 5, p. 274.

There is a childhood riddle that goes, If it takes a hen and a half a day and a half to lay an egg and a half, how long would it take for fifty hens to lay fifty eggs? It was always a delight to hear someone respond Fifty. But the correct answer is a day and a half; it takes no longer for fifty hens to lay fifty eggs than it takes for one hen to lay one egg (or 1 to lay 1). To come back to the wall, the work required no longer than it took for one crew to complete one unit, as long as each crew did its part, and there are at least 42 crews named in Nehemiah 3! That is the marvel of organization, and that may just be what Nehemiah is telling us.

Nehemiah 6:16 records the result. (1) Their enemies in the surrounding nations were humbled. (2) God was glorified.

Nehemiah 6:17-19 are parenthetical, giving more information on some of the intrigues, especially involving Tobiah, which went on and in spite of which the wall was completed promptly.

Nehemiah 6:17 reveals that Tobiah had much influence and much correspondence with government leaders in Judah.

Nehemiah 6:18 gives a reason for this, in the intermarriage of his family with Israel's leading priests. Shecaniah is mentioned in Ezra 2:5, and Meshullam in Nehemiah 3:4; Nehemiah 3:30.

Nehemiah 6:19 reflects Nehemiah's difficulties within his own ranks as a result of divided loyalties. Words (they. reported my words to him) may be translated goings forth; hence, his activities.

This ends the story of rebuilding the wall.

WORD STUDIES

REMEMBER (Nehemiah 6:14: Zakar): from the idea of pricking or piercing comes the idea of penetrating or infixing; thus remembering, recalling, considering.

GESHEM (Nehemiah 6:1): violent storm, severe shower.

STRENGTHEN (Nehemiah 6:9: Chazaq): the primary idea is to bind fast, to gird tight; then to cleave, or adhere firmly.

Things are strengthened by being bound together; a spear may be made stronger by winding it round with a cord. One's strength seems greater when he has fastened a girdle about his loins.
A very free translation might be, Give my hands stick-to-it-iveness! Or, Link our hands together (with others, or Yours)! Or, Hitch up my belt! Or just Give me strength.

SUMMARY

As the wall neared completion, Sanballat and Geshem tried to lure Nehemiah into a trap, but he would not leave his work. They used rumors to try to frighten him, or bring him to them, or discourage the workers, but he was not fooled by their lies. Then Sanballat and Tobiah hired Shemaiah to trick him into violating a law of God, thus putting his life in jeopardy or destroying the faith which the people had in him, Again Nehemiah saw through their scheme. As a result the wall was finished fifty-two days after work began, to the glory of God and the embarrassment of their enemies. Meanwhile Tobiah, who had relatives among the leaders and priests, was in frequent communication with Jewish leaders, learning Nehemiah's moves; he even sent letters to Nehemiah himself to frighten him,