Nehemiah 6

Ne 6:1-19.

SANBALLAT

PRACTISES AGAINST

NEHEMIAH BY

INSIDIOUS

ATTEMPTS.

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.

5-9. Then sent Sanballat his servant . . . the fifth time with an open

letter in his hand--In Western Asia, letters, after being rolled up

like a map, are flattened to the breadth of an inch; and instead of

being sealed, they are pasted at the ends. In Eastern Asia, the

Persians make up their letters in the form of a roll about six inches

long, and a bit of paper is fastened round it with gum, and sealed with

an impression of ink, which resembles our printers' ink, but it is not

so thick. Letters were, and are still, sent to persons of distinction

in a bag or purse, and even to equals they are enclosed--the tie being

made with a colored ribbon. But to inferiors, or persons who are to be

treated contemptuously, the letters were sent open--that is, not

enclosed in a bag. Nehemiah, accustomed to the punctillious ceremonial

of the Persian court, would at once notice the want of the usual

formality and know that it was from designed disrespect. The strain of

the letter was equally insolent. It was to this effect: The

fortifications with which he was so busy were intended to strengthen

his position in the view of a meditated revolt: he had engaged prophets

to incite the people to enter into his design and support his claim to

be their native king; and, to stop the circulation of such reports,

which would soon reach the court, he was earnestly besought to come to

the wished-for conference. Nehemiah, strong in the consciousness of his

own integrity, and penetrating the purpose of this shallow artifice,

replied that there were no rumors of the kind described, that the idea

of a revolt and the stimulating addresses of hired demagogues were

stories of the writer's own invention, and that he declined now, as

formerly, to leave his work.

10-14. Afterward I came unto the house of Shemaiah, &c.--This man was

the son of a priest, who was an intimate and confidential friend of

Nehemiah. The young man claimed to be endowed with the gift of

prophecy. Having been secretly bribed by Sanballat, he, in his

pretended capacity of prophet, told Nehemiah that his enemies were that

night to make an attempt upon his life. He advised him, at the same

time, to consult his safety by concealing himself in the sanctuary, a

crypt which, from its sanctity, was strong and secure. But the

noble-minded governor determined at all hazards to remain at his post,

and not bring discredit on the cause of God and religion by his

unworthy cowardice in leaving the temple and city unprotected. This

plot, together with a secret collusion between the enemy and the nobles

of Judah who were favorably disposed towards the bad Samaritan in

consequence of his Jewish connections

(Ne 6:18),

the undaunted courage and vigilance of Nehemiah were enabled, with the

blessing of God, to defeat, and the erection of the walls thus built in

troublous times

(Da 9:25)

was happily completed

(Ne 6:15)

in the brief space of fifty-two days. So rapid execution, even

supposing some parts of the old wall standing, cannot be sufficiently

accounted for, except by the consideration that the builders labored

with the ardor of religious zeal, as men employed in the work of

God.