14 My God, H430 think H2142 thou upon Tobiah H2900 and Sanballat H5571 according to these their works, H4639 and on the prophetess H5031 Noadiah, H5129 and the rest H3499 of the prophets, H5030 that would have put me in fear. H3372
Remember H2142 them, O my God, H430 because they have defiled H1352 the priesthood, H3550 and the covenant H1285 of the priesthood, H3550 and of the Levites. H3881
Alexander G223 the coppersmith G5471 did G1731 me G3427 much G4183 evil: G2556 the Lord G2962 reward G591 him G846 according to G2596 his G846 works: G2041 Of whom G3739 be G5442 thou G4771 ware G5442 also; G2532 for G1063 he hath G436 greatly G3029 withstood G436 our G2251 words. G3056
And it came to pass the same year, H8141 in the beginning H7225 of the reign H4467 of Zedekiah H6667 king H4428 of Judah, H3063 in the fourth H7243 year, H8141 and in the fifth H2549 month, H2320 that Hananiah H2608 the son H1121 of Azur H5809 the prophet, H5030 which was of Gibeon, H1391 spake H559 unto me in the house H1004 of the LORD, H3068 in the presence H5869 of the priests H3548 and of all the people, H5971 saying, H559
And G2532 the beast G2342 was taken, G4084 and G2532 with G3326 him G5127 the false prophet G5578 that wrought G4160 miracles G4592 before G1799 him, G846 with G1722 which G3739 he deceived G4105 them that had received G2983 the mark G5480 of the beast, G2342 and G2532 them that worshipped G4352 his G846 image. G1504 These both G1417 were cast G906 alive G2198 into G1519 a lake G3041 of fire G4442 burning G2545 with G1722 brimstone. G2303
If G1437 any man G5100 see G1492 his G846 brother G80 sin G264 a sin G266 which is not G3361 unto G4314 death, G2288 he shall ask, G154 and G2532 he shall give G1325 him G846 life G2222 for them that sin G264 not G3361 unto G4314 death. G2288 There is G2076 a sin G266 unto G4314 death: G2288 I do not G3756 say G3004 that G2443 he shall pray G2065 for G4012 it. G1565
For G1063 there shall arise G1453 false Christs, G5580 and G2532 false prophets, G5578 and G2532 shall shew G1325 great G3173 signs G4592 and G2532 wonders; G5059 insomuch that, G5620 if G1487 it were possible, G1415 they shall deceive G4105 the very G2532 elect. G1588
To wit, the prophets H5030 of Israel H3478 which prophesy H5012 concerning Jerusalem, H3389 and which see H2374 visions H2377 of peace H7965 for her, and there is no peace, H7965 saith H5002 the Lord H136 GOD. H3069 Likewise, thou son H1121 of man, H120 set H7760 thy face H6440 against the daughters H1323 of thy people, H5971 which prophesy H5012 out of their own heart; H3820 and prophesy H5012 thou against them,
And the LORD H3068 said H559 unto him, Wherewith? And he said, H559 I will go forth, H3318 and I will be a lying H8267 spirit H7307 in the mouth H6310 of all his prophets. H5030 And he said, H559 Thou shalt persuade H6601 him, and prevail H3201 also: go forth, H3318 and do H6213 so. Now therefore, behold, the LORD H3068 hath put H5414 a lying H8267 spirit H7307 in the mouth H6310 of all these thy prophets, H5030 and the LORD H3068 hath spoken H1696 evil H7451 concerning thee. But Zedekiah H6667 the son H1121 of Chenaanah H3668 went near, H5066 and smote H5221 Micaiah H4321 on the cheek, H3895 and said, H559 Which way H335 went H5674 the Spirit H7307 of the LORD H3068 from me to speak H1696 unto thee?
Shall evil H7451 be recompensed H7999 for good? H2896 for they have digged H3738 a pit H7745 for my soul. H5315 Remember H2142 that I stood H5975 before H6440 thee to speak H1696 good H2896 for them, and to turn away H7725 thy wrath H2534 from them. Therefore deliver up H5414 their children H1121 to the famine, H7458 and pour out H5064 their blood by the force H3027 of the sword; H2719 and let their wives H802 be bereaved H7909 of their children, and be widows; H490 and let their men H582 be put H2026 to death; H4194 let their young men H970 be slain H5221 by the sword H2719 in battle. H4421 Let a cry H2201 be heard H8085 from their houses, H1004 when thou shalt bring H935 a troop H1416 suddenly H6597 upon them: for they have digged H3738 a pit H7745 H7882 to take H3920 me, and hid H2934 snares H6341 for my feet. H7272 Yet, LORD, H3068 thou knowest H3045 all their counsel H6098 against me to slay H4194 me: forgive H3722 not their iniquity, H5771 neither blot out H4229 their sin H2403 from thy sight, H6440 but let them be overthrown H3782 before H6440 thee; deal H6213 thus with them in the time H6256 of thine anger. H639
If I go forth H3318 into the field, H7704 then behold the slain H2491 with the sword! H2719 and if I enter H935 into the city, H5892 then behold them that are sick H8463 with famine! H7458 yea, both the prophet H5030 and the priest H3548 go about H5503 into a land H776 that they know H3045 not.
Therefore thus saith H559 the LORD H3068 concerning the prophets H5030 that prophesy H5012 in my name, H8034 and I sent H7971 them not, yet they say, H559 Sword H2719 and famine H7458 shall not be in this land; H776 By sword H2719 and famine H7458 shall those prophets H5030 be consumed. H8552
But, O LORD H3068 of hosts, H6635 that judgest H8199 righteously, H6664 that triest H974 the reins H3629 and the heart, H3820 let me see H7200 thy vengeance H5360 on them: for unto thee have I revealed H1540 my cause. H7379 Therefore thus saith H559 the LORD H3068 of the men H582 of Anathoth, H6068 that seek H1245 thy life, H5315 saying, H559 Prophesy H5012 not in the name H8034 of the LORD, H3068 that thou die H4191 not by our hand: H3027 Therefore thus saith H559 the LORD H3068 of hosts, H6635 Behold, I will punish H6485 them: the young men H970 shall die H4191 by the sword; H2719 their sons H1121 and their daughters H1323 shall die H4191 by famine: H7458 And there shall be no remnant H7611 of them: for I will bring H935 evil H7451 upon the men H582 of Anathoth, H6068 even the year H8141 of their visitation. H6486
Therefore the LORD H3068 will cut off H3772 from Israel H3478 head H7218 and tail, H2180 branch H3712 and rush, H100 in one H259 day. H3117 The ancient H2205 and honourable, H6440 H5375 he H1931 is the head; H7218 and the prophet H5030 that teacheth H3384 lies, H8267 he is the tail. H2180
The proud H1343 have hid H2934 a snare H6341 for me, and cords; H2256 they have spread H6566 a net H7568 by the wayside; H3027 H4570 they have set H7896 gins H4170 for me. Selah. H5542 I said H559 unto the LORD, H3068 Thou art my God: H410 hear H238 the voice H6963 of my supplications, H8469 O LORD. H3068 O GOD H3069 the Lord, H136 the strength H5797 of my salvation, H3444 thou hast covered H5526 my head H7218 in the day H3117 of battle. H5402 Grant H5414 not, O LORD, H3068 the desires H3970 of the wicked: H7563 further H6329 not his wicked device; H2162 lest they exalt H7311 themselves. Selah. H5542 As for the head H7218 of those that compass me about, H4524 let the mischief H5999 of their own lips H8193 cover H3680 them. Let burning coals H1513 fall H4131 H4131 upon them: let them be cast H5307 into the fire; H784 into deep pits, H4113 that they rise not up again. H6965 Let not an evil speaker H376 H3956 be established H3559 in the earth: H776 evil H7451 shall hunt H6679 the violent H2555 man H376 to overthrow H4073 him.
[[A Psalm H4210 of David, H1732 when he was in the wilderness H4057 of Judah.]] H3063 O God, H430 thou art my God; H410 early will I seek H7836 thee: my soul H5315 thirsteth H6770 for thee, my flesh H1320 longeth H3642 for thee in a dry H6723 and thirsty H5889 land, H776 where no H1097 water H4325 is;
[[To the chief Musician H5329 upon Aijeleth H365 Shahar, H7837 A Psalm H4210 of David.]] H1732 My God, H410 my God, H410 why hast thou forsaken H5800 me? why art thou so far H7350 from helping H3444 me, and from the words H1697 of my roaring? H7581
Think H2142 upon me, my God, H430 for good, H2896 according to all that I have done H6213 for this people. H5971
Hear, H8085 O our God; H430 for we are despised: H939 and turn H7725 their reproach H2781 upon their own head, H7218 and give H5414 them for a prey H961 in the land H776 of captivity: H7633 And cover H3680 not their iniquity, H5771 and let not their sin H2403 be blotted out H4229 from before H6440 thee: for they have provoked thee to anger H3707 before the builders. H1129
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Nehemiah 6
Commentary on Nehemiah 6 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 6
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.
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.
Neh 6:1-9
Two plots upon Nehemiah we have here an account of, how cunningly they were laid by his enemies and how happily frustrated by God's good providence and his prudence.
In the midst of his complaint of their malice, in endeavouring to frighten him, and so weaken his hands, he lifts up his heart to Heaven in this short prayer: Now therefore, O God! strengthen my hands. It is the great support and relief of good people that in all their straits and difficulties they have a good God to go to, from whom, by faith and prayer, they may fetch in grace to silence their fears and strengthen their hands when their enemies are endeavouring to fill them with fears and weaken their hands. When, in our Christian work and warfare, we are entering upon any particular services or conflicts, this is a good prayer for us to put up: "I have such a duty to do, such a temptation to grapple with; now therefore, O God! strengthen my hands.' Some read it, not as a prayer, but as a holy resolution (for O God is supplied in our translation): Now therefore I will strengthen my hands. Note, Christian fortitude will be sharpened by opposition. Every temptation to draw us from duty should quicken us so much the more to duty.
Neh 6:10-14
The Jews' enemies leave no stone unturned, no way untried, to take Nehemiah off from building the wall about Jerusalem. In order to this they had tried to fetch him into the country to them, but in vain; now they try to drive him into the temple for his own safety; let him be any where but at his work. Observing him to be a cautious man, they will endeavour to gain their point by making him cowardly. Observe,
Neh 6:15-19
Nehemiah is here finishing the wall of Jerusalem, and yet still has trouble created him by his enemies.