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.”
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.”
- KJV 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.
- 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!”
- 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 36:5Jeremiah commanded Baruch, saying, “I am restricted. I can’t go into Yahweh’s house.
- Matt 7:15“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravening wolves.
- Ps 37:12The wicked plots against the just, and gnashes at him with his teeth.
- John 3:20For everyone who does evil hates the light, and doesn’t come to the light, lest his works would be exposed.
- Ezra 8:16Then sent I for Eliezer, for Ariel, for Shemaiah, for Elnathan, for Jarib, for Elnathan, for Nathan, for Zechariah, and for Meshullam, chief men; also for Joiarib and for Elnathan, who were teachers.
- Ps 12:2Everyone lies to his neighbor. They speak with flattering lips, and with a double heart.
- Mal 1:10“Oh that there were one among you who would shut the doors, that you might not kindle fire on my altar in vain! I have no pleasure in you,” says Yahweh of Armies, “neither will I accept an offering at your hand.
- Prov 11:9With his mouth the godless man destroys his neighbor, but the righteous will be delivered through knowledge.
- Neh 6:12I discerned, and behold, God had not sent him; but he pronounced this prophecy against me. Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him.
- Ezek 3:24Then the Spirit entered into me, and set me on my feet. He spoke with me, and said to me, “Go, shut yourself inside your house.
- 2 Chr 29:3In the first year of his reign, in the first month, he opened the doors of Yahweh’s house, and repaired them.
- Job 24:13–17“These are of those who rebel against the light. They don’t know its ways, nor stay in its paths.
- 2 Kgs 11:3He was with her hidden in Yahweh’s house six years while Athaliah reigned over the land.
- 1 Kgs 6:5Against the wall of the house, he built floors all around, against the walls of the house all around, both of the temple and of the inner sanctuary; and he made side rooms all around.
- Ps 120:2–3Deliver my soul, Yahweh, from lying lips, from a deceitful tongue.
- 2 Chr 28:24Ahaz gathered together the vessels of God’s house, and cut the vessels of God’s house in pieces, and shut up the doors of Yahweh’s house; and he made himself 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 to the God of Israel.
- Ezra 10:31Of the sons of Harim: Eliezer, Isshijah, Malchijah, Shemaiah, Shimeon,
- 2 Kgs 9:8For the whole house of Ahab will perish. I will cut off from Ahab everyone who urinates against a wall, both him who is shut up and him who is left at large in Israel.
- Acts 21:30All the city was moved, and the people ran together. They seized Paul and dragged him out of the temple. Immediately 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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