The Minor Prophets: 'Nehemiah Chapter 6, This is a Return to The Theme of Chapter 4 and The Opposition' at Christian Classics Ethereal Library

comment 'Nehemiah 6:1-2, Sanballat's Invitation' by beemanlee

This first verse starts out with the completed Walls. This was only
saying that the breach had been repaired in The Walls but The Doors were
not finished.


The Jewish Scholar, Malbim, points out that The Doors were not yet hung
on The Gates. The Walls were completely rebuilt with no breaks in them.
The Doors were still in the construction stage on location but not hung
fully in place.


In this first section of reading we will see that this invitation by
Sanballat is a typical Opposition trick. With deception being the first
tool of the opposition being used against Nehemiah.


V1 Now it happened when Sanballat, Tobiah, Geshem the Arab, and the
rest of our enemies heard that I had rebuilt the wall, and [that] there
were no breaks left in it (though at that time I had not hung the doors
in the gates),
V2 that Sanballat and Geshem sent to me, saying, "Come, let us meet
together among the villages[Kefirim] in the plain of Ono." But they
thought to do me harm.


Nehemiah was no stranger to this deception. Even on his first entry
into Jerusalem he was very covert with his movements as he first
inspected the Walls all around the Southern and Eastern parts of the
City of David. This was done so that no one would know the real purpose
for Nehemiah's being in Jerusalem.


This latest issue he received from Sanballat to meet him in the Plain
of Ono was only one more deviance, formally enacted to destroy The Work
being done on Jerusalem's Walls.

It wasn't very hard for Nehemiah to second guess this invitation by
Sanballat and see what the truth was behind the reason for going to
Kefirim. The trap was obvious, and Nehemiah was too much interested in
completing the job he had come so far to do, get The Doors hung on The
Gates of Jerusalem.comment 'Nehemiah 6:3-4, More Requests For a Meeting With Nehemiah' by beemanlee

In this next verse the Opposition seems to be set in drawing out
Nehemiah from the City of David and then on to the Northwest about 27
miles to Kefirim on The Plain of Ono. This Plain is located close to The
Northern Boarders of both Samaria and The City of Ashdod which is not a
very good place to be at for Nehemiah!


The Letter Sanballat sent was not sealed. Anyone was able to read it,
and this was the plan of Sanballat to have it open so that not only the
messenger carrying it would know, but any one who could read would know.


Lets read the next two verses of Nehemiah 6 with Sanballat's message
from Nehemiah,


V3 So I sent messengers to them, saying, "I [am] doing a great work, so
that I cannot come down. Why should the work cease while I leave it and
go down to you?"
V4 But they sent me this message four times, and I answered them in the
same manner.

Nehemiah had his heart into The Work of Rebuilding The Walls and Gates
of Jerusalem. It would be after The Work was done on The Walls and Gates
before Nehemiah would have any time to spare for Diplomatic Work with
any Foreign Embassy no matter how close they were to Judah and
Jerusalem. So until the Doors were hung and the Gates of Jerusalem were
completed would Nehemiah have any time for Embassy Work with Sanballat
or Tobiah. comment 'Nehemiah6:5-6, The Enemies Persist With a Fifth Invitation' by beemanlee

In this next reading we find the Opposition, Sanballat, again sending
his servant a fifth time with another hand written open letter, unsealed
and unrolled to show that he was not being secretive, with an invitation
for Nehemiah to meet him at Kefirim.


Lets read the next two verses of Nehemiah,


V5 Then Sanballat sent his servant to me as before, the fifth time,
with an open letter in his hand.
V6 In it [was] written: It is reported among the nations, and Geshem
says, [that] you and the Jews plan to rebel; therefore, according to
these rumors, you are rebuilding the wall, that you may be their king.

In the original writing of this second verse 6 reads something like
this,"It has become known among the nations, and Gashmu(Geshem) the Arab
says this", and: 'This is a confirmation says Geshem, that
you(Nehemiah)desire to become their king'. All this is written as if it
were to be the opening words of the letter to Nehemiah. Several of The
Jewish Scholars point this out; Rashi, Metzudos,Ralbag and Malbim.


This all conjectured by the opposition to draw out Nehemiah to the open
country on The Plains of Ono, at Kefirim.


The next verse 7 is still part of the Sanballat letter to Nehemiah and
we will read about it tomorrow.
comment 'Nehemiah 6:7-8, Sanballat's Tirade of Falsehood Against Nehemiah' by beemanlee

This 5th in a chain of letters that were being sent to Nehemiah by
Sanballat, now are proclaiming a Tirade of Falsehoods against him. It
was now getting out of hand with the assertion of prophets(speakers)
proclaiming false accusations in The Streets of Jerusalem.


In The Jewish Study Bible, the translation of the word for prophets is
translated as "speakers to proclaim".


This word prophets(speakers) is actually,
נְבִיאִ֡ים, ne·vi·'im,Strong's #5030, prophets, plural, more
than one, a true or a false prophet.


Lets read the next two verses of Nehemiah,


V7 And you have also appointed prophets to proclaim concerning you at
Jerusalem, saying, '[There is] a king in Judah!' Now these matters will
be reported to the king. So come, therefore, and let us consult
together.
V8 Then I sent to him, saying, "No such things as you say are being
done, but you invent them in your own heart."


So the false prophets of Sanballat are proclaiming "Judah Has a King!"
in the streets of Jerusalem. This is very interesting that Sanballat
would know this kind of information, in that he doesn't even live in
Jerusalem.

Now he is going to report this information to The Persian King,
Artaxerxes, but before he does do that he wants a personal meeting with
Nehemiah to discuss the problem at Kefirim.

According to Jewish Scholar Malbim, the false prophets were hired and
paid for by Sanballat. There is a false prophet named Shemaiah in the
up-coming verses of of 10-12 whom Tobiah and Sanballat hired to make it
look as if there was a rebellion against The Persian King.


Now to Nehemiah's reply. The last verse 8 is the answer back by
Nehemiah to the tirade of accusations which were gaining in their
intensity and purpose of deception. Nehemiah is claiming all of
Sanballat's information is a lie and no truth can be found in them.
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