Nehemiah 6:10-19
The Wall Is Finished
Read the passage
10Later, I went to the house of Shemaiah son of Delaiah, the son of Mehetabel, who was confined to his house. He said: “Let us meet at the house of God inside the temple. Let us shut the temple doors because they are coming to kill you—by night they are coming to kill you!”
11But I replied, “Should a man like me run away? Should one like me go into the temple to save his own life? I will not go!”
12I realized that God had not sent him, but that he had uttered this prophecy against me because Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him.
13He had been hired to intimidate me so that I would sin by doing as he suggested, so they could give me a bad name in order to discredit me.
14O my God, remember Tobiah and Sanballat for what they have done, and also Noadiah the prophetess and the other prophets who tried to intimidate me.
15So the wall was completed in fifty-two days, on the twenty-fifth of Elul.
16When all our enemies heard about this, all the surrounding nations were afraid and disheartened, for they realized that this task had been accomplished by our God.
17Also in those days, the nobles of Judah sent many letters to Tobiah, and Tobiah’s letters kept coming to them.
18For many in Judah were bound by oath to him, since he was a son-in-law of Shecaniah son of Arah, and his son Jehohanan had married the daughter of Meshullam son of Berechiah.
19Moreover, these nobles kept reporting to me Tobiah’s good deeds, and they relayed my words to him. And Tobiah sent letters to intimidate me.
Berean Standard Bible
Read aloud
Another warning tells Nehemiah to hide inside the temple because men are coming to kill him. Nehemiah realizes that the message is not from God and that the prophecy has been hired to frighten him into a sinful choice.
I realized that God had not sent him, but that he had uttered this prophecy against me because Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him.
Nehemiah refuses to run into the temple for safety, and the wall is completed in fifty-two days. The surrounding nations become afraid and recognize that the task was accomplished by God.
Yet the opposition has not vanished. Nobles in Judah remain connected to Tobiah, report his good deeds, and relay Nehemiah's words to him. A finished wall does not automatically produce a faithful community. External accomplishment and internal loyalty still need attention.
Questions
1 What did Shemaiah tell Nehemiah to do?
AnswerShemaiah urged him to hide inside the temple behind shut doors, claiming men were coming to kill him that night.
2 Why did Nehemiah reject the advice?
AnswerHe realized God had not sent Shemaiah. Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him to frighten Nehemiah into sin so they could discredit him.
3 How long did it take to complete the wall?
AnswerFifty-two days. It was finished on the twenty-fifth of Elul, despite the attempts to frighten the builders.
4 What did the nations recognize?
AnswerThe surrounding nations became afraid and lost confidence because they recognized that the work had been accomplished with the help of God.
What This Means for Us
An urgent warning does not become God's instruction just because someone speaks in his name. If advice asks us to do wrong for the sake of safety, we need to question it. Nehemiah also gives us reason to thank God for finished work while taking continuing threats seriously: the wall stood, but Tobiah's letters still came.
Prayer
God, protect us from fear dressed up as wisdom. Help us finish what is good and remain alert to the compromises that can survive after the visible work is done. Amen.