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.
Parallel translations
- WEB I went to the house of Shemaiah the son of Delaiah the son of Mehetabel, who was shut in at his home; and he said, “Let us meet together in God’s house, within the temple, and let us shut the doors of the temple; for they will come to kill you. Yes, in the night will they come to kill you.”
- BSB Later, I went to the house of Shemaiah son of Delaiah, the son of Mehetabel, who was confined to his house. He said: “Let us meet at the house of God inside the temple. Let us shut the temple doors because they are coming to kill you—by night they are coming to kill you!”
- NKJV Afterward I came to the house of Shemaiah the son of Delaiah, the son of Mehetabel, who was a secret informer; and he said, “Let us meet together in the house of God, within the temple, and let us close the doors of the temple, for they are coming to kill you; indeed, at night they will come to kill you.”
- NASB When I entered the house of Shemaiah the son of Delaiah, son of Mehetabel, who was confined at home, he said, “Let’s meet together in the house of God, within the temple, and let’s close the doors of the temple, for they are coming to kill you, and they are coming to kill you at night.”
- NLT Later I went to visit Shemaiah son of Delaiah and grandson of Mehetabel, who was confined to his home. He said, “Let us meet together inside the Temple of God and bolt the doors shut. Your enemies are coming to kill you tonight.”
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Shemaiah, shut up at home, urges Nehemiah to hide in the temple because men are coming to kill him by night. The advice is a subtle trap.
Overview
Posing as a friend, Shemaiah counsels Nehemiah to take refuge inside the temple, a place forbidden to a layman. The message blends genuine-sounding concern with deadly intent. This deceptive use of false prophecy shows that the most dangerous attacks may come disguised as godly counsel from within.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 20
- Jer 36:5And Jeremiah commanded Baruch, saying, I am shut up; I cannot go into the house of the LORD:
- Matt 7:15Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.
- Ps 37:12The wicked plotteth against the just, and gnasheth upon him with his teeth.
- John 3:20For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.
- Ezra 8:16Then sent I for Eliezer, for Ariel, for Shemaiah, and for Elnathan, and for Jarib, and for Elnathan, and for Nathan, and for Zechariah, and for Meshullam, chief men; also for Joiarib, and for Elnathan, men of understanding.
- Ps 12:2They speak vanity every one with his neighbour: with flattering lips and with a double heart do they speak.
- Mal 1:10Who is there even among you that would shut the doors for nought? neither do ye kindle fire on mine altar for nought. I have no pleasure in you, saith the LORD of hosts, neither will I accept an offering at your hand.
- Prov 11:9An hypocrite with his mouth destroyeth his neighbour: but through knowledge shall the just be delivered.
- Neh 6:12And, lo, I perceived that God had not sent him; but that he pronounced this prophecy against me: for Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him.
- Ezek 3:24Then the spirit entered into me, and set me upon my feet, and spake with me, and said unto me, Go, shut thyself within thine house.
- 2 Chr 29:3He in the first year of his reign, in the first month, opened the doors of the house of the LORD, and repaired them.
- Job 24:13–17They are of those that rebel against the light; they know not the ways thereof, nor abide in the paths thereof.
- 2 Kgs 11:3And he was with her hid in the house of the LORD six years. And Athaliah did reign over the land.
- 1 Kgs 6:5And against the wall of the house he built chambers round about, against the walls of the house round about, both of the temple and of the oracle: and he made chambers round about:
- Ps 120:2–3Deliver my soul, O LORD, from lying lips, and from a deceitful tongue.
- 2 Chr 28:24And Ahaz gathered together the vessels of the house of God, and cut in pieces the vessels of the house of God, and shut up the doors of the house of the LORD, and he made him altars in every corner of Jerusalem.
- 2 Chr 29:7Also they have shut up the doors of the porch, and put out the lamps, and have not burned incense nor offered burnt offerings in the holy place unto the God of Israel.
- Ezra 10:31And of the sons of Harim; Eliezer, Ishijah, Malchiah, Shemaiah, Shimeon,
- 2 Kgs 9:8For the whole house of Ahab shall perish: and I will cut off from Ahab him that pisseth against the wall, and him that is shut up and left in Israel:
- Acts 21:30And all the city was moved, and the people ran together: and they took Paul, and drew him out of the temple: and forthwith the doors were shut.
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Christ at the center
The rebuilt walls and renewed covenant community foreshadow the greater builder who gathers and secures a people for God, the one who declares 'I will build my church.'
How Nehemiah 6:10 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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