Hebrew-English Text
I. Summary
Jerusalem’s wall is completed with celerity. Jerusalem’s foreign enemies conspire to kill Nehemiah, but he succesfully avoids their traps.
II. Photo
Nehemiah steers clear of his enemies: “I sent messengers to them saying, ‘I am engaged in a great work and cannot come down, for the work will stop if I leave it in order to come down to you.’”
III. Important Verses
vv. 5-9: Sanballat sent me the same message a fifth time by his servant, who had an open letter with him. Its text was: “Word has reached the nations, and Geshem too says that you and the Jews are planning to rebel — for which reason you are building the wall — and that you are to be their king. Such is the word. You have also set up prophets in Jerusalem to proclaim about you, ‘There is a king in Judah!’ Word of these things will surely reach the king; so come, let us confer together.” I sent back a message to him, saying, “None of these things you mention has occurred; they are figments of your imagination” — for they all wished to intimidate us, thinking, “They will desist from the work, and it will not get done.” Now strengthen my hands!
v. 14: O my God, remember against Tobiah and Sanballat these deeds of theirs, and against Noadiah the prophetess, and against the other prophets that they wished to intimidate me!
vv. 15-16: The wall was finished on the twenty-fifth of Elul, after fifty-two days. When all our enemies heard it, all the nations round about us were intimidated, and fell very low in their own estimation; they realized that this work had been accomplished by the help of our God.
IV. Outline
1-9. Nehemiah evades an enemy plot
11-14. Nehemiah evades a second plot
15-16. The wall is completed
16-19. The enemies continue to oppose Nehemiah
V. Comment
No comment today. Stay tuned.
VI. Works Used
(see “Commentaries” page)
Photo taken from http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2253/2202873187_ec047d7fbb.jpg
