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
