MPV Commentary

Sanballat Practices against Nehemiah by Insidious Attempts.

The Samaritan leaders, convinced they couldn't defeat Nehemiah openly, decided to gain an advantage through deceit and strategy. They invited him to a conference under the pretext of resolving their differences amicably. The meeting was set for "one of the villages in the plain of Ono," but Nehemiah, anticipating some intended mischief, prudently declined the invitation. Despite being asked four times, his response remained consistent: he couldn't leave his important work.

Sanballat sent a servant with an open letter on his fifth attempt to persuade Nehemiah to attend the conference. In ancient Persia, letters were typically rolled up and flattened, then sealed at the ends or enclosed in a bag for those of distinction. Open letters, however, were sent to inferiors or those treated contemptuously. The letter's tone was insolent, claiming that Nehemiah's fortifications were intended to strengthen his position for a planned revolt, and that he had hired prophets to incite the people against him. Nehemiah, confident in his own integrity, recognized the deceit and replied that such rumors were unfounded and that he would not leave his work.

Afterward, I visited the house of Shemaiah, a priest's son who was a friend of mine. He claimed to have prophetic gifts but had been bribed by Sanballat. In his pretended capacity as prophet, he told me that my enemies planned to attack me that night and advised me to hide in the sanctuary for safety. However, I determined to remain at my post, not wanting to bring discredit on God's cause or abandon the city and temple unprotected. This plot, along with a secret alliance between Sanballat and some nobles of Judah who favored him due to their Jewish connections (Nehemiah 6:18), was thwarted by my courage and vigilance, with God's blessing. The walls were completed in fifty-two days, a remarkable achievement that can be attributed only to the builders' zeal for their work as men employed in the service of God.