Geshem

17Then I said to them, "You can see the trouble we are in. Jerusalem lies in ruins, and its gates are burned. Come, let us build the wall again. Then people will not shame us anymore."

Then said I unto them, Ye see the distress that we are in, how Jerusalem lieth waste, and the gates thereof are burned with fire: come, and let us build up the wall of Jerusalem, that we be no more a reproach.

NoteA city with no wall was easy for enemies to attack. Other people made fun of a city like that. That is the shame Nehemiah is talking about.

18I told them how kind God had been to me. I also told them what the king had said. They answered, "Let's get up and build." So they got ready for this good work.

Then I told them of the hand of my God which was good upon me; as also the king’s words that he had spoken unto me. And they said, Let us rise up and build. So they strengthened their hands for this good work.

19But Sanballat from Horon, Tobiah the Ammonite official, and Geshem the Arab heard about it. They laughed at us and made fun of us. They said, "What are you doing? Are you turning against the king?"

But when Sanballat the Horonite, and Tobiah the servant, the Ammonite, and Geshem the Arabian, heard it, they laughed us to scorn, and despised us, and said, What is this thing that ye do? will ye rebel against the king?

NoteArabs lived in lands to the south and east of Judah. Saying someone was turning against the king was very serious. People could be punished hard for that.

20I answered them, "The God of heaven will help us do well. We are his servants, and we will build. But this city is not yours. You have no share in Jerusalem and no claim here."

Then answered I them, and said unto them, The God of heaven, he will prosper us; therefore we his servants will arise and build: but ye have no portion, nor right, nor memorial, in Jerusalem.

1Sanballat, Tobiah, Geshem the Arab, and other enemies heard news. The wall was rebuilt, and no holes were left in it. But Nehemiah had not yet put the doors in the gates.

Now it came to pass, when Sanballat, and Tobiah, and Geshem the Arabian, and the rest of our enemies, heard that I had builded the wall, and that there was no breach left therein; (though at that time I had not set up the doors upon the gates;)

NoteSanballat, Tobiah, and Geshem were leaders of lands near Jerusalem. They did not want the city to be strong again. A city wall kept enemies out. But a wall needs heavy doors in its gateways. Without doors, people could still walk right in.

2Sanballat and Geshem sent Nehemiah a message. They said, "Come meet us in a village on the plain of Ono." But they were really planning to hurt him.

That Sanballat and Geshem sent unto me, saying, Come, let us meet together in some one of the villages in the plain of Ono. But they thought to do me mischief.

NoteOno was a flat, open place about a day's walk from Jerusalem. It was far from Nehemiah's helpers and guards. Meeting there alone would have been dangerous for him.

3Nehemiah sent messengers back with this answer. "I am doing a big job, so I cannot come down. Why should the work stop while I leave it?"

And I sent messengers unto them, saying, I am doing a great work, so that I cannot come down: why should the work cease, whilst I leave it, and come down to you?

NoteJerusalem sits high on a hill. Leaving the city meant walking downhill. That is why the King James says "come down."

4They sent him the same message four times. Each time he gave them the same answer.

Yet they sent unto me four times after this sort; and I answered them after the same manner.

5The fifth time, Sanballat sent his servant with the message. The servant carried a letter that was not sealed shut.

Then sent Sanballat his servant unto me in like manner the fifth time with an open letter in his hand;

NoteLetters back then were rolled up and sealed with a lump of clay. Only the person it was sent to could open it. This letter had no seal, so anyone could read it. Sanballat wanted everyone to hear the lie about Nehemiah.

6The letter said, "People in other lands are talking. Geshem says it too. They say you and the Jews plan to fight the king. They say that is why you are building the wall. They say you want to be their king.

Wherein was written, It is reported among the heathen, and Gashmu saith it, that thou and the Jews think to rebel: for which cause thou buildest the wall, that thou mayest be their king, according to these words.

NoteThe King James word "heathen" means people from other nations. The king here is the king of Persia, who ruled all these lands. He was the one who let Nehemiah build the wall. Saying Nehemiah wanted to be king was a serious lie.

7You even picked prophets to tell people in Jerusalem, 'Judah has a king!' The king will hear about all this. So come and let us talk it over."

And thou hast also appointed prophets to preach of thee at Jerusalem, saying, There is a king in Judah: and now shall it be reported to the king according to these words. Come now therefore, and let us take counsel together.

NoteA prophet was someone who said he spoke God's words to people. If real prophets were calling Nehemiah king, the Persian king would be angry.

8Nehemiah sent back this answer. "None of that is true. You are making it up in your own head."

Then I sent unto him, saying, There are no such things done as thou sayest, but thou feignest them out of thine own heart.

9They were all trying to make the workers afraid. They hoped the people would grow tired and stop building. So Nehemiah prayed, "My God, make my hands strong."

For they all made us afraid, saying, Their hands shall be weakened from the work, that it be not done. Now therefore, O God, strengthen my hands.

Note"Strengthen my hands" was a way of saying, "Help me keep working." Tired, weak hands meant giving up on a job.