Nehemiah 6 13

Nehemiah 6:13 kjv

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.

Nehemiah 6:13 nkjv

For this reason he was hired, that I should be afraid and act that way and sin, so that they might have cause for an evil report, that they might reproach me.

Nehemiah 6:13 niv

He had been hired to intimidate me so that I would commit a sin by doing this, and then they would give me a bad name to discredit me.

Nehemiah 6:13 esv

For this purpose he was hired, that I should be afraid and act in this way and sin, and so they could give me a bad name in order to taunt me.

Nehemiah 6:13 nlt

They were hoping to intimidate me and make me sin. Then they would be able to accuse and discredit me.

Nehemiah 6 verses

Nehemiah 6 13 Meaning

Nehemiah 6:13 reveals the true conspiratorial motive behind the seemingly prophetic counsel of Shemaiah. He had been financially induced by Nehemiah’s adversaries—Sanballat and Tobiah—with the explicit intent of entrapping Nehemiah into committing a public sin. This planned transgression, likely fleeing into the temple to seek refuge from a supposed threat, would have been unlawful for a non-priest and displayed fear and cowardice, thereby discrediting Nehemiah as a leader. The ultimate goal was to provide their enemies with solid grounds for public reproach and mockery, damaging Nehemiah's reputation and bringing disrepute upon the entire work of rebuilding the walls.

Nehemiah 6 13 Context

Nehemiah 6 is centered on the relentless, escalating opposition faced by Nehemiah and the people of Jerusalem as they neared the completion of the wall. Having failed with open ridicule and armed threat (Ch. 4), then economic oppression (Ch. 5), the adversaries Sanballat, Tobiah, and Geshem shifted to more insidious tactics. Their new strategy involved deception, slander, and attempts to intimidate Nehemiah into a morally compromising position. They sought to derail the project not through physical assault but through the destruction of Nehemiah's integrity and reputation.

Verses 10-14 specifically describe Shemaiah the prophet, who feigned fear and advised Nehemiah to take refuge from an imminent assassination plot by fleeing into the temple, behind closed doors. This act would have constituted a serious sin: Nehemiah was not a priest and therefore unauthorized to enter the holy place of the temple (except the outer court open to all Israelites). Furthermore, fleeing would expose him as a coward, unfit for leadership, and discredit his unwavering trust in God. Nehemiah 6:13 precisely unveils the underlying conspiracy – Shemaiah was a paid agent, not a true prophet, whose "counsel" was a snare laid by the enemies to provoke Nehemiah into sin, thereby creating a basis for slander and public humiliation. The completion of the wall, an act of God's restoration, was a clear spiritual victory, and the enemy desperately tried to undermine it through character assassination of its leader.

Nehemiah 6 13 Word analysis

• He had been hired (שָׂכוּר, śāḵûr): This verb, in its passive form, signifies that Shemaiah was deliberately brought in, commissioned, and compensated for a specific task. The term denotes a mercenary arrangement, often used negatively when money corrupts or induces action against righteousness (e.g., Num 22:7 where Balaam is hired). It underscores the premeditated nature of the plot and the moral compromise of the agent.
• to intimidate me (וְיָרֵאתִי, wəyārē'ṯî, Hiphil of יָרֵא yārēʾ - to fear): The causative form indicates the purpose was to make Nehemiah afraid or to terrorize him. The enemies wanted to manipulate Nehemiah’s emotional state, inducing fear so intense that it would cause him to abandon his post or compromise his principles. Their objective was psychological warfare, seeking to shake his courage and faith.
• so that I would commit a sin (וְחָטָאתִי, wəḥāṭā'tî): The ultimate goal of the intimidation. To "sin" (חָטָא, ḥāṭāʾ) means to miss the mark, err, or transgress divine law. In this context, it refers to both a direct transgression of the Mosaic Law (by Nehemiah, a layperson, entering the Holy Place of the Temple) and a failure of faith or courage (by abandoning his divinely appointed post or acting out of human fear). It would be an act that dishonors God and his position.
• and thus give them a bad name (לָהֶם לְשֵׁם רָע, lāhem ləšēm rā‘ - for them a bad name): The phrase means to create a damaging reputation for Nehemiah, providing ammunition for his enemies. If Nehemiah sinned, it would confirm their narrative of him being an unfit, ungodly, or cowardly leader, giving them "bad press" to spread about him and the Jewish people. This reflects the enemy's desire to disgrace God's people and work publicly.
• and discredit me (וּלְחָרֵף לִי, ûləḥārēp̄ lî - and to reproach for me/upon me): To "discredit" or "reproach" (חָרַף, ḥārap̄) means to heap scorn, insult, or abuse upon someone, to disgrace or defame. It implies bringing shame and ignominy. The enemies sought not just a secret sin but one that would enable them to publicly shame Nehemiah and destroy his influence.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "He had been hired to intimidate me so that I would commit a sin": This phrase details a multi-layered plot: a financial transaction (hired) for psychological manipulation (to intimidate) aiming for a spiritual/moral downfall (commit a sin). It reveals the depth of the adversaries' cunning, seeking internal collapse rather than external defeat. They leveraged human weakness (fear) and religious authority (false prophecy) to ensnare Nehemiah, turning perceived safety into a moral trap.
• "and thus give them a bad name and discredit me": This specifies the ultimate, visible consequence desired by the enemies: the ruination of Nehemiah's public image and authority. Their tactics were designed to provide Sanballat and Tobiah with verifiable grounds to malign Nehemiah, turning what looked like a genuine "prophecy" into a scandalous indictment against Nehemiah and, by extension, God's work itself. The intent was not just to stop the wall, but to undermine the very character and reputation of God’s chosen leader.

Nehemiah 6 13 Bonus section

• The Cost of Leadership Integrity: Nehemiah’s steadfastness in this verse demonstrates the essential quality of uncompromised integrity in spiritual leadership. Leaders are constant targets for schemes that aim to compromise their character, knowing that discrediting the leader discredits the work.
• The Deeper Goal of Adversaries: The enemies weren't simply against a wall; they were against God's redemptive work. Their methods, escalating from external threats to internal corruption and character assassination, underscore a spiritual warfare where the reputation of God and His people is paramount. They wanted Nehemiah to sin, thereby providing "proof" that God's chosen leader was corrupt or weak, bringing reproach upon God Himself (Rom 2:24).
• Divine Discernment: Nehemiah's immediate realization that Shemaiah's "prophecy" was a trap speaks to a deep spiritual discernment, given by God, to see through deception. He recognized that fear, fleeing, and temple trespass were inconsistent with God's character and calling, regardless of the prophetic guise.

Nehemiah 6 13 Commentary

Nehemiah 6:13 encapsulates the cunning and malevolent nature of spiritual opposition against God's work. The verse reveals that not all threats are overt or physical; often, the most dangerous attacks are internal and seek to corrupt spiritual leaders. Sanballat and Tobiah understood that if they could undermine Nehemiah's integrity and moral standing, they could destroy his authority and the momentum of the wall-building. They used bribery to manipulate a seemingly pious individual, Shemaiah, into becoming an agent of deceit. Shemaiah's false prophecy aimed to induce fear in Nehemiah, prompting him to sin by entering the holy section of the temple (a priestly privilege) and by acting in cowardice, forsaking his divinely appointed duty. Such an act would provide indisputable evidence for the enemies to malign Nehemiah's character, effectively discrediting his leadership and the work itself. Nehemiah's discerning response, refusing to be swayed by fear or false counsel, demonstrates robust spiritual integrity and highlights the importance of testing every spirit, remaining steadfast in faith, and prioritizing God's honor over personal safety when compromise means sin. The episode serves as a powerful reminder that Satan's goal is often to disgrace God through the downfall of His servants, rather than merely halting a project.