Nehemiah 6

Nehemiah · Chapter 6

Nehemiah 6:12

1Now 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, and that there was no breach left therein; (though at that time I had not set up the doors upon the gates;)2That Sanballat and Geshem sent unto me, saying, Come, let us meet together in some one of the villages in the plain of Ono. But they thought to do me mischief.3And I sent messengers unto them, saying, I am doing a great work, so that I cannot come down: why should the work cease, whilst I leave it, and come down to you?4Yet they sent unto me four times after this sort; and I answered them after the same manner.5Then sent Sanballat his servant unto me in like manner the fifth time with an open letter in his hand;6Wherein was written, It is reported among the heathen, and Gashmu saith it, that thou and the Jews think to rebel: for which cause thou buildest the wall, that thou mayest be their king, according to these words.7And thou hast also appointed prophets to preach of thee at Jerusalem, saying, There is a king in Judah: and now shall it be reported to the king according to these words. Come now therefore, and let us take counsel together.8Then I sent unto him, saying, There are no such things done as thou sayest, but thou feignest them out of thine own heart.9For they all made us afraid, saying, Their hands shall be weakened from the work, that it be not done. Now therefore, O God, strengthen my hands.10Afterward I came unto the house of Shemaiah the son of Delaiah the son of Mehetabeel, who was shut up; and he said, Let us meet together in the house of God, within the temple, and let us shut the doors of the temple: for they will come to slay thee; yea, in the night will they come to slay thee.11And I said, Should such a man as I flee? and who is there, that, being as I am, would go into the temple to save his life? I will not go in.12And, lo, I perceived that God had not sent him; but that he pronounced this prophecy against me: for Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him.13Therefore was he hired, that I should be afraid, and do so, and sin, and that they might have matter for an evil report, that they might reproach me.14My God, think thou upon Tobiah and Sanballat according to these their works, and on the prophetess Noadiah, and the rest of the prophets, that would have put me in fear.15So the wall was finished in the twenty and fifth day of the month Elul, in fifty and two days.16And it came to pass, that when all our enemies heard thereof, and all the heathen that were about us saw these things, they were much cast down in their own eyes: for they perceived that this work was wrought of our God.17Moreover in those days the nobles of Judah sent many letters unto Tobiah, and the letters of Tobiah came unto them.18For there were many in Judah sworn unto him, because he was the son in law of Shechaniah the son of Arah; and his son Johanan had taken the daughter of Meshullam the son of Berechiah.19Also they reported his good deeds before me, and uttered my words to him. And Tobiah sent letters to put me in fear.

King James Version (1769)

Other translations

VerseKJVBSBASV
12And, lo, I perceived that God had not sent him; but that he pronounced this prophecy against me: for Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him.I realized that God had not sent him, but that he had uttered this prophecy against me because Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him.And I discerned, and, lo, God had not sent him; but he pronounced this prophecy against me: and Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him.

In context

Who is speaking and to whom, what is happening, when and where, and why it matters, each with its sources. Coming with the context cards.

Original Hebrew words

EnglishHebrewSay itStrong'sMeaning
and I recognized !וָאַכִּ֕ירָהva-'a-KI-rahH5234A
to recognize

נָכַר (na.khar) 1) to recognise, acknowledge, know, respect, discern, regard 1a) (Niphal) to be recognised 1b) (Piel) to regard 1c) (Hiphil) 1c1) to regard, observe, pay attention to, pay regard to, notice 1c2) to recognise (as formerly known), perceive 1c3) to be willing to recognise or acknowledge, acknowledge with honour 1c4) to be acquainted with 1c5) to distinguish, understand 1d) (Hithpael) to make oneself known

and there!וְהִנֵּ֥הve-hi-NEHH2009
behold

הִנֵּה (hin.neh) behold, lo, see, if

notלֹֽא־lo'-H3808
not

לֹא (lo) 1) not, no 1a) not (with verb-absolute prohibition) 1b) not (with modifier-negation) 1c) nothing (subst) 1d) without (with particle) 1e) before (of time) Aramaic equivalent: la (לָא "not" H3809)

Godאֱלֹהִ֖ים'E-lo-HIMH0430G
God

אֱלֹהִים (e.lo.him) This name means "gods" (plural intensive-singular meaning), "God" Another name of ye.ho.vah (יהוה "LORD" H3068G)

he had sent himשְׁלָח֑וֹshe-la-CHOH7971G
to send: depart

שָׁלַח (sha.lach) : depart/send 1) to send, send away, let go, stretch out 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to send 1a2) to stretch out, extend, direct 1a3) to send away 1a4) to let loose 1b) (Niphal) to be sent 1c) (Piel) 1c1) to send off or away or out or forth, dismiss, give over, cast out 1c2) to let go, set free 1c3) to shoot forth (of branches) 1c4) to let down 1c5) to shoot 1d) (Pual) to be sent off, be put away, be divorced, be impelled 1e) (Hiphil) to send

forכִּ֤יkiH3588A
for

כִּי (ki) 1) that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since 1a) that 1a1) yea, indeed 1b) when (of time) 1b1) when, if, though (with a concessive force) 1c) because, since (causal connection) 1d) but (after negative) 1e) that if, for if, indeed if, for though, but if 1f) but rather, but 1g) except that 1h) only, nevertheless 1i) surely 1j) that is 1k) but if 1l) for though 1m) forasmuch as, for therefore

the prophecyהַנְּבוּאָה֙ha-ne-vu-'AHH5016
prophecy

נְבוּאָה (ne.vu.ah) 1) prophecy 1a) prophecy 1a1) specific and genuine 1a2) false 1b) prophetic writing Aramaic equivalent: ne.vu.ah (נְבוּאָה "prophesying" H5017)

he had spokenדִּבֶּ֣רdi-BERH1696I
to speak: speak

דָבַר (da.var) : speak/tell/command 1) to speak, declare, converse, command, promise, warn, threaten, sing 1a) (Qal) to speak 1b) (Niphal) to speak with one another, talk 1c) (Piel) 1c1) to speak 1c2) to promise 1d) (Pual) to be spoken 1e) (Hithpael) to speak 1f) (Hiphil) to lead away, put to flight

on meעָלַ֔י'a-LAIH5921A
upon

עַל (al) prep 1) upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against 1a) upon, on the ground of, on the basis of, on account of, because of, therefore, on behalf of, for the sake of, for, with, in spite of, notwithstanding, concerning, in the matter of, as regards 1b) above, beyond, over (of excess) 1c) above, over (of elevation or pre-eminence) 1d) upon, to, over to, unto, in addition to, together with, with (of addition) 1e) over (of suspension or extension) …

and Tobiahוְטוֹבִיָּ֥הve-toi-YAHH2900I
Tobiah

טוֹבִיָּ֫הוּ (to.viy.yah) A man of the Ammonites living at the time of Exile and Return, first mentioned at Neh.2.10; married to daughter_of_Shecaniah (H7935N); father of: Jehohanan (H3076O) § Tobiah = "Jehovah is good" 1) head of a family who returned from exile with Zerubbabel but who were unable to prove their connection with Israel 2) the Ammonite who with Sanballat opposed the rebuilding of Jerusalem 3) a Levite in the reign of Jehoshaphat 4) a chief of the returning exiles

and Sanballatוְסַנְבַלַּ֖טve-san-va-LATH5571
Sanballat

סַנְבַלַּט (san.val.lat) A man living at the time of Exile and Return, first mentioned at Neh.2.10 § Sanballat = "strength" a Moabite of Horonaim and the opponent of Nehemiah and the returned exiles in their goal of rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem

he had hired himשְׂכָרֽוֹ׃se-kha-ROH7936B
to hire

סָכַר (sa.khar) 1) to hire 1a) (Qal) to hire

Words and meanings from STEPBible data (Tyndale House, Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). The capitalized syllable is the stressed one.