Nehemiah

Nehemiah 6:1–6

¹When Sanballat, Tobiah, Geshem the Arab, and the rest of our enemies heard that I had rebuilt the wall and not a gap was left— though to that time I had not yet installed the doors in the gates— ²Sanballat and Geshem sent me this message: “Come, let us meet together in one of the villages^a on the plain^b of Ono.”

But they were planning to harm me.

³So I sent messengers to them, saying, “I am doing a great work and cannot come down. Why should the work stop while I leave it to go down to you?”

⁴Four times they sent me the same message, and each time I gave the same reply.

⁵The fifth time, Sanballat sent me this same message by his young servant, who had in his hand an unsealed letter ⁶that read:

“It is reported among the nations— and Geshem^c agrees— that you and the Jews are plotting to revolt, and this is why you are building the wall. According to these reports, you are to become their king,

Footnotes

a 6:2 Or in Kephirim
b 6:2 Or in the valley
c 6:6 Hebrew Gashmu, a variant of Geshem; see verse 1.

Read all of Nehemiah 6

Word by word

Each English word or phrase beside the Hebrew it translates, in the order of the English. Choose a number to open that word’s study.

Nehemiah 6:1

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
When	כַאֲשֶׁ֣ר	ḵa·’ă·šer	Preposition-k; Pronoun - relative	H834 particle of relation
Sanballat	לְסַנְבַלַּ֣ט	lə·san·ḇal·laṭ	Preposition-l; Noun - proper - masculine singular	H5571 Sanballat
Tobiah	וְ֠טוֹבִיָּה	wə·ṭō·w·ḇî·yāh	Conjunctive waw; Noun - proper - masculine singular	H2900 Tobijah
Geshem	וּלְגֶ֨שֶׁם	ū·lə·ḡe·šem	Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l; Noun - proper - masculine singular	H1654 Geshem, Gashmu
the Arab	הָֽעַרְבִ֜י	hā·‘ar·ḇî	Article; Noun - proper - masculine singular	H6163 steppe-dweller
and the rest	וּלְיֶ֣תֶר	ū·lə·ye·ṯer	Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l; Noun - masculine singular construct	H3499 remainder, excellence, excess
of our enemies	אֹֽיְבֵ֗ינוּ	’ō·yə·ḇê·nū	Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct; first person common plural	H341 be hostile to
heard	נִשְׁמַ֣ע	niš·ma‘	Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person masculine singular	H8085 hear
that	כִּ֤י	kî	Conjunction	H3588 burning, branding
I had rebuilt	בָנִ֙יתִי֙	ḇā·nî·ṯî	Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular	H1129 build
the wall	הַ֣חוֹמָ֔ה	ha·ḥō·w·māh	Article; Noun - feminine singular	H2346 wall
and not	וְלֹא־	wə·lō-	Conjunctive waw; Adverb - Negative particle	H3808 not
a gap	פָּ֑רֶץ	pā·reṣ	Noun - masculine singular	H6556 bursting forth, breach
was left	נ֥וֹתַר	nō·w·ṯar	Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person masculine singular	H3498 remain over
though	גַּ֚ם	gam	Conjunction	H1571 also, moreover, yea
to	עַד־	‘aḏ-	Preposition	H5704 as far as, even to, up to, until, while
that	הַהִ֔יא	ha·hî	Article; Pronoun - third person feminine singular	H1931 he, she
time	הָעֵ֣ת	hā·‘êṯ	Article; Noun - common singular	H6256 time
I had not yet	לֹא־	lō-	Adverb - Negative particle	H3808 not
installed	הֶעֱמַ֥דְתִּי	he·‘ĕ·maḏ·tî	Verb - Hifil - Perfect - first person common singular	H5975 take one's stand, stand
the doors	דְּלָת֖וֹת	də·lā·ṯō·wṯ	Noun - feminine plural	H1817 door
in the gates	בַשְּׁעָרִֽים׃	ḇaš·šə·‘ā·rîm	Preposition-b, Article; Noun - masculine plural	H8179 gate

Nehemiah 6:2

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Sanballat	סַנְבַלַּ֤ט	san·ḇal·laṭ	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H5571 Sanballat
and Geshem	וְגֶ֙שֶׁם֙	wə·ḡe·šem	Conjunctive waw; Noun - proper - masculine singular	H1654 Geshem, Gashmu
sent me	וַיִּשְׁלַ֨ח	way·yiš·laḥ	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H7971 send
this message	לֵאמֹ֔ר	lê·mōr	Preposition-l; Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct	H559 utter, say
Come	לְכָ֞ה	lə·ḵāh	Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular; third person feminine singular	H1980 go, come, walk
let us meet	וְנִֽוָּעֲדָ֥ה	wə·niw·wā·‘ă·ḏāh	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Nifal - Conjunctive imperfect Cohortative - first person common plural	H3259 appoint
together	יַחְדָּ֛ו	yaḥ·dāw	Adverb	H3162 unitedness
in	בַּכְּפִירִ֖ים	bak·kə·p̄î·rîm	Preposition-b, Article; Noun - masculine plural	H3715 young lion
on the plain	בְּבִקְעַ֣ת	bə·ḇiq·‘aṯ	Preposition-b; Noun - feminine singular construct	H1237 valley
of Ono	אוֹנ֑וֹ	’ō·w·nōw	Noun - proper - feminine singular	H207 Ono
But they	וְהֵ֙מָּה֙	wə·hêm·māh	Conjunctive waw; Pronoun - third person masculine plural	H1992 they, them
were planning	חֹֽשְׁבִ֔ים	ḥō·šə·ḇîm	Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural	H2803 think, account
to harm	לַעֲשׂ֥וֹת	la·‘ă·śō·wṯ	Preposition-l; Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct	H6213 do, make
me	לִ֖י	lî	Preposition; first person common singular

Nehemiah 6:3

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
So I sent	וָאֶשְׁלְחָ֨ה	wā·’eš·lə·ḥāh	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - first person common singular; third person feminine singular	H7971 send
messengers	מַלְאָכִים֙	mal·’ā·ḵîm	Noun - masculine plural	H4397 messenger
to them	עֲלֵיהֶ֤ם	‘ă·lê·hem	Preposition; third person masculine plural	H5921 height
saying	לֵאמֹ֔ר	lê·mōr	Preposition-l; Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct	H559 utter, say
I	אֲנִ֣י	’ă·nî	Pronoun - first person common singular	H589 I
am doing	עֹשֶׂ֔ה	‘ō·śeh	Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular	H6213 do, make
a great	גְדוֹלָה֙	ḡə·ḏō·w·lāh	Adjective - feminine singular	H1419 great
work	מְלָאכָ֤ה	mə·lā·ḵāh	Noun - feminine singular	H4399 occupation, work
and cannot	וְלֹ֥א	wə·lō	Conjunctive waw; Adverb - Negative particle	H3808 not
come down	לָרֶ֑דֶת	lā·re·ḏeṯ	Preposition-l; Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct	H3381 come or go down, descend
Why	לָ֣מָּה	lām·māh	Interrogative	H4100 what? how? aught
should the work	הַמְּלָאכָה֙	ham·mə·lā·ḵāh	Article; Noun - feminine singular	H4399 occupation, work
stop	תִשְׁבַּ֤ת	ṯiš·baṯ	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person feminine singular	H7673 cease, desist, rest
while	כַּאֲשֶׁ֣ר	ka·’ă·šer	Preposition-k; Pronoun - relative	H834 particle of relation
I leave it	אַרְפֶּ֔הָ	’ar·pe·hā	Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - first person common singular; third person feminine singular	H7503 sink, relax
to go down	וְיָרַדְתִּ֖י	wə·yā·raḏ·tî	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singular	H3381 come or go down, descend
to you	אֲלֵיכֶֽם׃	’ă·lê·ḵem	Preposition; second person masculine plural	H413 motion to

Nehemiah 6:4

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Four	אַרְבַּ֣ע	’ar·ba‘	Number - feminine singular	H702 four
times	פְּעָמִ֑ים	pə·‘ā·mîm	Noun - feminine plural	H6471 beat, foot, anvil, occurrence
they sent me	וַיִּשְׁלְח֥וּ	way·yiš·lə·ḥū	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural	H7971 send
the same	הַזֶּ֖ה	haz·zeh	Article; Pronoun - masculine singular	H2088 this, that
message	כַּדָּבָ֥ר	kad·dā·ḇār	Preposition-k, Article; Noun - masculine singular	H1697 speech, word
and each time I gave	וָאָשִׁ֥יב	wā·’ā·šîḇ	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - first person common singular	H7725 turn back, return
the same	הַזֶּֽה׃ס	haz·zeh	Article; Pronoun - masculine singular	H2088 this, that
reply	כַּדָּבָ֥ר	kad·dā·ḇār	Preposition-k, Article; Noun - masculine singular	H1697 speech, word

Nehemiah 6:5

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
The fifth	חֲמִישִׁ֖ית	ḥă·mî·šîṯ	Number - ordinal feminine singular	H2549 fifth
time	פַּ֥עַם	pa·‘am	Noun - feminine singular	H6471 beat, foot, anvil, occurrence
Sanballat	סַנְבַלַּ֜ט	san·ḇal·laṭ	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H5571 Sanballat
sent me	וַיִּשְׁלַח֩	way·yiš·laḥ	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H7971 send
this	הַזֶּ֛ה	haz·zeh	Article; Pronoun - masculine singular	H2088 this, that
same message	כַּדָּבָ֥ר	kad·dā·ḇār	Preposition-k, Article; Noun - masculine singular	H1697 speech, word
by his young servant	נַעֲר֑וֹ	na·‘ă·rōw	Noun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine singular	H5288 a shaking, scattering
who had in his hand	בְּיָדֽוֹ׃	bə·yā·ḏōw	Preposition-b; Noun - feminine singular construct; third person masculine singular	H3027 hand
an unsealed	פְּתוּחָ֖ה	pə·ṯū·ḥāh	Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - feminine singular	H6605 open
letter	וְאִגֶּ֥רֶת	wə·’ig·ge·reṯ	Conjunctive waw; Noun - feminine singular construct	H107 letter, letter-missive

Nehemiah 6:6

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
that read	כָּת֣וּב	kā·ṯūḇ	Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - masculine singular	H3789 write
It is reported	נִשְׁמָע֙	niš·mā‘	Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person masculine singular	H8085 hear
among the nations	בַּגּוֹיִ֤ם	bag·gō·w·yim	Preposition-b, Article; Noun - masculine plural	H1471 nation, people
and Geshem	וְגַשְׁמ֣וּ	wə·ḡaš·mū	Conjunctive waw; Noun - proper - masculine singular	H1654 Geshem, Gashmu
agrees	אֹמֵ֔ר	’ō·mêr	Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular	H559 utter, say
that you	אַתָּ֤ה	’at·tāh	Pronoun - second person masculine singular	H859 thou
and the Jews	וְהַיְּהוּדִים֙	wə·hay·yə·hū·ḏîm	Conjunctive waw, Article; Noun - proper - masculine plural	H3064 Jewish
are plotting	חֹשְׁבִ֣ים	ḥō·šə·ḇîm	Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural	H2803 think, account
to revolt	לִמְר֔וֹד	lim·rō·wḏ	Preposition-l; Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct	H4775 rebel
this is why	עַל־	‘al-	Preposition	H5921 height
you	אַתָּ֥ה	’at·tāh	Pronoun - second person masculine singular	H859 thou
are building	בוֹנֶ֖ה	ḇō·w·neh	Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular	H1129 build
the wall	הַחוֹמָ֑ה	ha·ḥō·w·māh	Article; Noun - feminine singular	H2346 wall
According to these	הָאֵֽלֶּה׃	hā·’êl·leh	Article; Pronoun - common plural	H428 these
reports	כַּדְּבָרִ֖ים	kad·də·ḇā·rîm	Preposition-k, Article; Noun - masculine plural	H1697 speech, word
you	וְאַתָּ֗ה	wə·’at·tāh	Conjunctive waw; Pronoun - second person masculine singular	H859 thou
are to become	הֹוֶ֤ה	hō·weh	Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular	H1933 fall
their	לָהֶם֙	lā·hem	Preposition; third person masculine plural
king	לְמֶ֔לֶךְ	lə·me·leḵ	Preposition-l; Noun - masculine singular	H4428 king