Nehemiah 6

Nehemiah 6:1

NO breach left therein] That is, that the wall was joyned together every where, chap. 4. 6.

Nehemiah 6:2

Ono] Which was in the tribe of Benjamin, chap. 11. 35.

to do me mischief] That is, to kill me.

Nehemiah 6:3

why should the work cease] Meaning, that if he should obey their request, the work which God had appointed, would cease. Yet he teacheth us withall, that we should not commit our selves into the hands of the wicked.

Nehemiah 6:6

Gashmu] Or, Geshem, verse 2.

according to these words] As the fame goeth.

Nehemiah 6:7

thou hast also appointed prophets] Thou hast bribed and set up false prophets to make thy self king, and so to defraud the king of Persia of that subjection which ye owe unto him.

and let us take counsell together] That no hurt may come to you, nor to us for your neighbour-hood.

Nehemiah 6:10

who was shut up] As though he prayed to God for Nehemiahs preservation, but intending to deceive him: or, he shewed by his own carriage what he thought fit for Nehemiah to do. So did prophets teach by gestures, 1 Kings 22:11. Ezek. 24. 17, 22.

and let us shut the doors of the temple] It is not safe us to meet, or be in the city, because the gates are not up, but we can shut the doors of the temple upon us, and be safe.

Nehemiah 6:11

Should such a man as I flee?] He doubted not but God was able to preserve him, and knew that if he had obeyed the counsell of Shemaiah, he should have discouraged all the people: and also, that the enemies might have come in (for the gates were yet open, v. 1.) and have taken the city, while he lay hid in the temple. Thus God giveth wisdom to his, to prevent the hurt that might come by false prophecies, though they seem to have never so great probability: or else he thought it unlawfull for him, being not a priest, to come into the temple, Numbers 3:38.

Nehemiah 6:12

Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him] Either to do this work at this time, that they might take the city by Nehemiah neglect, upon his preswasion: or else he had a yeerly pension from them, to further their ends to the hurt of the Jews.

Nehemiah 6:14

on the prophetesse Noadiah] Very grief caused him to pray against such, as under the pretence of being ministers of God, were adversaries to his glory, and went about to overthrow his church, declaring also hereby, that where there is one true minister of God, the devill hath a great sort of hirelings, chap. 13. 29.

Nehemiah 6:15

the wall was finished] With gates, barrs, locks, and all things needfull, which were wanting, vers. 1.

of the moneth Elul] Which was the sixth moneth; containing part of August, and part of September.

in fifty and two dayes] From the beginning of the building of it: For it is delivered as a strange thing. See v. 16.

Nehemiah 6:17

sent many letters unto Tobiah] Heb. multiplied their letters passing to Tobiah. Thus the church of God hath evermore enemies within it self, which are more dangerous then the outward and professed enemies.

Nehemiah 6:19

words] Or, matters.