Nehemiah 6:10
What does Nehemiah 6:10 mean?
A plain-English look at Nehemiah 6:10 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.
What Nehemiah 6:10 means
Nehemiah visited Shemaiah, who was shut in, and heard a message urging him to meet inside the house of God, within the temple, with the doors shut, because assassins would come at night. The counsel appealed to self-preservation and used sacred space as a shield. It sounded pious and prudent, yet it pressured Nehemiah to abandon his post and to act out of fear. The proposal would also blur right boundaries concerning the temple. The message plays on anxiety during a vulnerable phase of the project, but it tests whether Nehemiah will trust God and remain faithful in his role.
Parallel translations
WEB
World English Bible · 2000And I went unto the house of Shemaiah the son of Delaiah the son of Mehetabel, who was shut up; and he said, Let us meet together in the house of God, within the temple, and let us shut the doors of the temple: for they will come to slay thee; yea, in the night will they come to slay thee.
KJV
King James Version · 1611Afterward I came unto the house of Shemaiah the son of Delaiah the son of Mehetabeel, who was shut up; and he said, Let us meet together in the house of God, within the temple, and let us shut the doors of the temple: for they will come to slay thee; yea, in the night will they come to slay thee.
ASV
American Standard Version · 1901And I went unto the house of Shemaiah the son of Delaiah the son of Mehetabel, who was shut up; and he said, Let us meet together in the house of God, within the temple, and let us shut the doors of the temple: for they will come to slay thee; yea, in the night will they come to slay thee.
BBE
Bible in Basic English · 1949And I went to the house of Shemaiah, the son of Delaiah, the son of Mehetabel, who was shut up; and he said, Let us have a meeting in the house of God, inside the Temple, and let the doors be shut: for they will come to put you to death; truly, in the night they will come to put you to death.
YLT
Young's Literal Translation · 1862And I have entered the house of Shemaiah son of Delaiah, son of Mehetabeel--and he is restrained--and he saith, `Let us meet at the house of God, at the inside of the temple, and we shut the doors of the temple, for they are coming in to slay thee--yea, by night they are coming in to slay thee.'
DRA
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752And I went into the house of Samaia the son of Delaia, the son of Metabeel privately. And he said: Let us consult together in the house of God in the midst of the temple: and let us shut the doors of the temple, for they will come to kill thee, and in the night they will come to slay thee.
DBY
Darby Bible · 1890And I came to the house of Shemaiah the son of Delaiah, the son of Mehetabeel, who had shut himself up. And he said, Let us meet together in the house ofGod, within the temple, and let us shut the doors of the temple; for they are coming to kill thee; even in the night are they coming to kill thee.
Context
After external slander failed, the opposition turns to internal religious manipulation. A shut-in counselor, sounding authoritative, offers a plan that would remove Nehemiah from public duty under the pretext of safety. The next verse records Nehemiah’s refusal, revealing his conviction that such a retreat would be unworthy of his office. The following verses will expose that this counsel was not from God but bought by the enemies to trap him in fear and compromise.
v.9For they all would have made us afraid, saying, Their hands shall be weakened from the work, that it be not done. But now, O God, strengthen thou my hands.
v.10This passage
v.11And I said, Should such a man as I flee? and who is there, that, being such as I, would go into the temple to save his life? I will not go in.
Cross references
Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.
- 2 Kings 9:8
For the whole house of Ahab shall perish; and I will cut off from Ahab every man-child, and him that is shut up and him that is left at large in Israel.
- 2 Kings 11:3
And he was with her hid in the house of Jehovah six years. And Athaliah reigned over the land.
- Psalms 12:2
They speak falsehood every one with his neighbor: With flattering lip, and with a double heart, do they speak.
- Malachi 1:10
Oh that there were one among you that would shut the doors, that ye might not kindle fire on mine altar in vain! I have no pleasure in you, saith Jehovah of hosts, neither will I accept an offering at your hand.
- Matthew 7:15
Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravening wolves.
- Jeremiah 36:5
And Jeremiah commanded Baruch, saying, I am shut up; I cannot go into the house of Jehovah:
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