Attempts to Intimidate Nehemiah

10 I went to the house of Shemaiah son of Delaiah, son of Mehetabel, who was restricted to his house. He said:

Let’s meet at the house of God,
inside the temple.
Let’s shut the temple doors
because they’re coming to kill you.
They’re coming to kill you tonight![a]

11 But I said, “Should a man like me run away? How can someone like me enter the temple and live?(A) I will not go.” 12 I realized that God had not sent him, because of the prophecy he spoke against me. Tobiah and Sanballat(B) had hired him. 13 He was hired, so that I would be intimidated,(C) do as he suggested, sin, and get a bad reputation, in order that they could discredit me.

14 My God, remember(D) Tobiah and Sanballat for what they have done, and also the prophetess Noadiah(E) and the other prophets who wanted to intimidate me.

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Footnotes

  1. 6:10 Or by night

10 When I entered the house of Shemaiah the son of Delaiah, son of Mehetabel, (A)who was confined at home, he said, “Let’s meet together in the house of God, within the temple, and let’s close the doors of the temple, for they are coming to kill you, and they are coming to kill you at night.” 11 But I said, “(B)Should a man like me flee? And who is there like me who would go into the temple [a]to save his own life? I will not go in.” 12 Then I realized [b]that God certainly had not sent him, but he uttered his prophecy against me because Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him. 13 He was hired for this reason, (C)that I would become frightened and act accordingly and sin, so that they might have an evil report in order that they could taunt me. 14 (D)Remember, my God, Tobiah and Sanballat in accordance with these works of theirs, and also Noadiah (E)the prophetess and the rest of the prophets, who were trying to frighten me.

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Footnotes

  1. Nehemiah 6:11 Lit and live
  2. Nehemiah 6:12 Lit and behold God had not