Shemaiah

10Later Nehemiah went to see Shemaiah son of Delaiah, son of Mehetabel. Shemaiah was shut inside his house. He said, "Let us hide inside God's temple and lock the doors. Men are coming to kill you tonight!"

Afterward 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.

NoteThe temple was God's special house in Jerusalem. Only priests, the men who served God there, could go inside the building. For anyone else to hide in there was breaking God's rule.

11Nehemiah said, "Should a man like me run away? Should a man like me hide in the temple to stay alive? I will not go in."

And I said, Should such a man as I flee? and who is there, that, being as I am, would go into the temple to save his life? I will not go in.

NoteNehemiah was not a priest. Running inside the temple would have been wrong. It would also have made him look like a coward.

12Nehemiah understood that God had not sent Shemaiah. Shemaiah spoke against him because Tobiah and Sanballat had paid him.

And, lo, I perceived that God had not sent him; but that he pronounced this prophecy against me: for Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him.

13They paid him to scare Nehemiah into hiding. Then Nehemiah would have done wrong. Then they could spread a bad story and shame him.

Therefore was he hired, that I should be afraid, and do so, and sin, and that they might have matter for an evil report, that they might reproach me.

14Nehemiah prayed, "My God, remember what Tobiah and Sanballat have done. Remember Noadiah the prophetess too, and the other prophets who tried to scare me."

My God, think thou upon Tobiah and Sanballat according to these their works, and on the prophetess Noadiah, and the rest of the prophets, that would have put me in fear.

NoteA prophetess was a woman who said she spoke God's words. Noadiah was using that job to help Nehemiah's enemies.