Неемия 6:6 Комментарий

The cries of oppressed poverty being stilled, we are now to enquire how the building of the wall goes forward, and in this chapter we find it carried on with vigour and finished with joy, notwithstanding the restless attempts of the gates of hell to hinder it. How the Jews' enemies were baffled in their design to put a stop to it by force we read before, ch. 4. Here we find how their endeavours to drive Nehemiah off from it were frustrated. I. When they courted him to an interview, with design to do him a mischief, he would not stir (Neh 6:1-4). II. When they would have made him believe his undertaking was represented as seditious and treasonable, he regarded not the insinuation (Neh 6:5-9). III. When they hired pretended prophets to advise him to retire into the temple for his own safety, still he kept his ground (Neh 6:10-14). IV. Notwithstanding the secret correspondence that was kept up between them and some false and treacherous Jews, the work was finished in a short time (Neh 6:15-19). Such as these were the struggles between the church and its enemies. But great is God's cause and it will be prosperous and victorious.

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, Neh 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, Neh 6:3, then they employed some that pretended to be prophets to advise him to flee to the temple for safety, which he rejected, Neh 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, Neh 6:15.

Wherein was written, it is reported among, the Heathen,.... Among the several neighbouring nations; it was an affair that was not whispered about among a few only; it was common talk, it was in every body's mouth in divers nations: and Gashmu saith it; the same with Geshem the Arabian; he affirms it, and will abide by his assertion, and engages to make good what he says; he mentions him by name, who he knew would not be offended with him for making use of it, and who doubtless agreed that he should; that Nehemiah might not think this was the talk of some of the lower rank of the people, but even was averred by no less than the king's governor in Arabia: that thou and the Jews think to rebel; that they had formed a scheme, and were taking measures to raise a rebellion against the king of Persia, and revolt from him: for which cause thou buildest the wall; the wall of Jerusalem, for their security against any force that might be sent to quell them: that thou mayest be their king, according to these words; written in this epistle, and reported among the Heathens.

Sanballat, Tobiah, and Geshem, insidiously desire a conference with Nehemiah, which he refuses, Neh 6:1-4. They then charge him with the design of rebelling, and causing himself to be made king, Neh 6:5-7; which he denies, and prays to God for support, Neh 6:8, Neh 6:9. A false prophet is hired by Tobiah and Sanballat, to put him in fear; he discovers the imposture, and defeats their design, Neh 6:10-13. He prays to God against them, Neh 6:14. The wall is finished in fifty-two days, Neh 6:15. He discovers a secret and treasonable correspondence between Tobiah and some of the Jewish nobles, Neh 6:16-19.

And Gashmu saith it - You are accused of crimes against the state, and Geshem, the Arabian, is your accuser.

SANBALLAT PRACTISES AGAINST NEHEMIAH BY INSIDIOUS ATTEMPTS. (Neh. 6:1-19) 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; Jos 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.