Nehemiah 6:5-9

Sanballat sent another message to Nehemiah. It was a letter, but Sanballat did not close it. It was open so that anyone could read it. Sanballat did not want this letter to be secret. He wanted all the people to know what he had written. In the letter, he pretended to be the friend of Nehemiah, but again Sanballat told lies. He said that some people had accused Nehemiah. They had said that the *Jews were plotting a revolution against the king. Sanballat probably invented this story. Nehemiah was always very loyal to the king. Nobody thought that Nehemiah would stop obeying the king. But Sanballat wanted the *Jews to be afraid. Perhaps Nehemiah himself might worry about the king’s reaction to such a report. The *Jews might delay in order to work out what to do. If there was a pause, Nehemiah’s workmen might have to return home. The wall was almost complete. But without gates, there would still be no security for the people who lived in the city.

Of course, Nehemiah knew that Sanballat’s words were lies. Nehemiah had no such plans. He knew that Sanballat was trying to frighten the people and to stop the work. Again Nehemiah prayed and he asked God to make him strong.

v10 One day I went to Shemaiah’s house. He was the son of Delaiah and was the grandson of Mehetabel. Shemaiah had shut his door and he would not go out of his house. He said, ‘Let us meet in God’s house, in the inner *temple. Let us close the *temple’s doors. Men are coming to kill you. They are coming by night to kill you.’

v11 But I said, ‘A man like me should not run away! I cannot go into the *temple to save my life. I will not go!’

v12 I realised that God had not sent Shemaiah. Shemaiah had pretended to give me a message from God because Tobiah and Sanballat had paid him. v13 They paid him in order to frighten me. They wanted to make me do what was wrong. Then Tobiah and Sanballat could make people think bad things about me. They could make me ashamed.