Nehemiah 6:4

He expected not any recompence from the people, but from the Lord; and from him not in a way of merit, but of grace and good will, who forgets not what is done for his name's sake, Hebrews 6:10. John Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible. Nehemiah 6:1 INTRODUCTION TO NEHEMIAH 6 Sanballat and his brethren, hearing the wall was finished, sent to Nehemiah, to have a meeting with him at a place named, which he refused, Nehemiah 6:1, then they sent him a terrifying letter, suggesting that he, and the Jews with him, would be treated as rebels, since their intention, as reported, was to make him king, which letter he regarded not, Nehemiah 6:3, then they employed some that pretended to be prophets to advise him to flee to the temple for safety, which he rejected, Nehemiah 6:10 and so the work went on and was finished, though there was a secret correspondence carried on between their enemies and some false brethren among themselves, Nehemiah 6:15. Ver. 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,.... Quite finished it: and that there was no breach left therein; but all was made up firm and strong: though at that time I had not set up the doors upon the gates; not upon all of them, though some might by the particular builders of them; and they all of them might be ready made, though not as yet put upon the hinges. Nehemiah 6:2 Ver. 2. Then Sanballat and Geshem sent unto me,....

6:1-9 Let those who are tempted to idle merry meetings by vain companions, thus answer the temptation, We have work to do, and must not neglect it. We must never suffer ourselves to be overcome, by repeated urgency, to do anything sinful or imprudent; but when attacked with the same temptation, must resist it with the same reason and resolution. It is common for that which is desired only by the malicious, to be falsely represented by them as desired by the many. But Nehemiah knew at what they aimed, he not only denied that such things were true, but that they were reported; he was better known than to be thus suspected. We must never omit any known duty for fear it should be misconstrued; but, while we keep a good conscience, let us trust God with our good name. God's people, though loaded with reproach, are not really fallen so low in reputation as some would have them thought to be. Nehemiah lifted up his heart to Heaven in a short prayer. When, in our Christian work and warfare, we enter upon any service or conflict, this is a good prayer, I have such a duty to do, such a temptation to grapple with; now, therefore, O God, strengthen my hands. Every temptation to draw us from duty, should quicken us the more to duty.

Yet they sent unto me four times after this sort,.... Being very desirous of getting him into their hands, and therefore were very pressing and importunate: and I answered them after the same manner; every time as before, he being as much bent on finishing the work as they were to divert him from it.

4 . 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 , ‘in like manner’), though the nature of the message is different, we clearly must not press the words here to mean a literal repetition of the request and answer. It only indicates a general similarity in the character of the four applications, and in the answers which they elicited. Cf. for the use of this phrase 1 Samuel 17:27 ; 1 Samuel 17:30 ; 2 Samuel 15:6 . Nehemiah 6:4

2-4. Then Sanballat and Geshem sent unto me—The Samaritan leaders, convinced that they could not overcome Nehemiah by open arms, resolved to gain advantage over him by deceit and stratagem. With this in view, under pretext of terminating their differences in an amicable manner, they invited him to a conference. The place of rendezvous was fixed "in some one of the villages in the plain of Ono." "In the villages" is, Hebrew, "in Cephirim," or "Chephirah," the name of a town in the territory of Benjamin (Jos 9:17; 18:26). Nehemiah, however, apprehensive of some intended mischief, prudently declined the invitation. Though it was repeated four times, [Nehemiah's] uniform answer was that his presence could not be dispensed with from the important work in which he was engaged. This was one, though not the only, reason. The principal ground of his refusal was that his seizure or death at their hands would certainly put a stop to the further progress of the fortifications.

twelve years together, as some would think, or at least that he did not this all that time, but only during the great and present exigencies and distresses of the Jews, which ceased in good part after the walls were built, and the hearts of all the Jews revived, and their enemies dispirited thereby. Nehemiah 5:19 As I have done thy people good for thy sake, so do me good for thine own sake; for thou art pleased, and hast promised graciously to reward us according to our works, and to mete to men the same measure which they mete to others. ## Nehemiah 6:1 NEHEMIAH CHAPTER 6 ## Sanballat and Tobiah, sending to Nehemiah to meet them, intend to do him mischief, Neh_6:1 ,2 . Nehemiah’s answer, Neh_6:3. They charge him with rebellion, Neh_6:4-7. His answer to it, Neh_6:8 ,9 . Shemaiah’s false prophecies to discourage Nehemiah, Neh_6:10. His reply, Neh_6:11-14. The work is finished to the terror of the enemies, Neh_7:15 ,16 . Secret correspondence between the nobles of Judah and Tobiah, Neh_6:17 ,18 . I had not set up the doors; not all of them. See Poole "Neh_3:1-3". ## Nehemiah 6:2 Let us meet together; to consult about the common service of our master the king of Persia, or to make a friendly accommodation. ## Ono; a city in the tribe of Benjamin; of which see Neh_11:35 1Ch_8:12. ## Nehemiah 6:3 I am doing a great work: he tells them one, but not the only, nor the principal, reason of his refusal, because his coming might cause the work to cease, not only by the neglect of it during his abs

3. Nehemiah prays against them, and the people complete one half of the wall, Nehemiah 4:4-6. The Arabians, Ammonites, and Ashdodites, conspire together, and come to fight against the Jews, Nehemiah 4:7, Nehemiah 4:8. The Jews commend themselves to God, and determine to fight for their lives and liberties; on hearing of which their enemies are disheartened, Nehemiah 4:9-16. The Jews divide themselves into two bands; one half working, and the other standing ready armed to meet their enemies. Even the workmen are obliged to arm themselves, while employed in building, for fear of their enemies, Nehemiah 4:17, Nehemiah 4:18. Nehemiah uses all precautions to prevent a surprise; and all labor with great fervor in the work, Nehemiah 4:19-22. NEHEMIAH 4: 2 He spoke before his brothers and the army of Samaria, and said, “What are these feeble Jews doing? Will they fortify themselves? Will they sacrifice? Will they finish in a day? Will they revive the stones out of the heaps of rubbish, since they are burned?” 1. They despise the workmen: What do these feeble Jews? 2. They endeavor to turn all into ridicule: Will they fortify themselves? 3. They have recourse to lying: If a fox go up, he shall even break down their stone wall. 4. They sometimes use fair but deceitful speeches; see Nehemiah 6:2, etc. NEHEMIAH 4: 3 Now Tobiah the Ammonite was by him, and he said, “What they are building, if a fox climbed up it, he would break down their stone wall.” NEHEMIAH 4: 4 “Hear, our God; for we are despised; and turn back their reproach on their own head, give them up for a plunder in a land of captivity;