Nehemiah 6

Chap. VI. Ver. 1—19. Sanballat and his confederates try by various artifices, to injure and intimidate Nehemiah and his coadjutors.—First, they invite him to a private conference at one of the villages without the city: but he is aware that they meant to assassinate him, and, therefore, without naming Judah, pronounces prophecy |” 4° | house. the people, that they might be reckoned by might reproach me. him. Still, however, he adheres to his work, times. ‘I am doing a great work, (says he,) and cannot come | sent to eg e diverted from it. In fifty-two days the wall is Christian, and | and will not down.” An answer this, that may suit a f| completed, and the heathen, } at length convinced that_the especially a Christian minister, in many circumstances.

work was of God, are utterly confounded and abashed. Thus provoked to unprofitable controversy,—if courted by unsuitable was “his righteousness brought forth as the light, and his companions,—if solicited to unhallowed pleasures,—if tempted judgment as the noon-day.” ((Psalms 37:6).) o to party zeal, either in politics or religion,—this is a most Nehemiah having now finished his work, and being about to proper answer, ‘I am doing a great work, and cannot stoop return to Persia, he leaves his brother Hanani, together with to any thing beneath my Christian character.” Hananiah, ruler of the palace, (whom he describes as a “man Their next manœuvre was to raise a report that Nehemiah that feared God above many,”) in charge of the city, which and the Jews intended to rebel, and were therefore assiduous was yet but thinly inhabited, and to finish the work which he to build the wall, that they might protect themselves against had begun.

the king’s army; and that this might not be kept secret, San-