Moreover, these nobles kept reporting to me Tobiah’s good deeds, and they relayed my words to him. And Tobiah sent letters to intimidate me.
Parallel translations
- WEB Also they spoke of his good deeds before me, and reported my words to him. Tobiah sent letters to put me in fear.
- KJV Also they reported his good deeds before me, and uttered my words to him. And Tobiah sent letters to put me in fear.
- NKJV Also they reported his good deeds before me, and reported my words to him. Tobiah sent letters to frighten me.
- NASB Moreover, they were speaking about his good deeds in my presence, and were reporting my words to him. Then Tobiah sent letters to frighten me.
- NLT They kept telling me about Tobiah’s good deeds, and then they told him everything I said. And Tobiah kept sending threatening letters to intimidate me.
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
Tobiah's allies praise him to Nehemiah and report Nehemiah's words back to Tobiah, who keeps sending letters to intimidate him. The pressure continues from within and without.
Overview
The compromised nobles acted as a channel between Nehemiah and his enemy, even relaying his words to Tobiah, who persisted in attempts to frighten him. The chapter closes with the opposition unrelenting despite the completed wall. It underscores that vigilance must continue, for the enemies of God's people rarely cease their efforts.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 8
- John 7:7The world cannot hate you, but it hates Me, because I testify that its works are evil.
- Acts 4:18–21Then they called them in again and commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus.
- Neh 6:13He had been hired to intimidate me so that I would sin by doing as he suggested, so they could give me a bad name in order to discredit me.
- Prov 28:4Those who forsake the law praise the wicked, but those who keep the law resist them.
- John 15:19If you were of the world, it would love you as its own. Instead, the world hates you, because you are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world.
- Neh 6:9For they were all trying to frighten us, saying, “Their hands will be weakened in the work, and it will never be finished.” But now, my God, strengthen my hands.
- 1 Jn 4:5They are of the world. That is why they speak from the world’s perspective, and the world listens to them.
- Isa 37:10–14“Give this message to Hezekiah king of Judah: ‘Do not let your God, in whom you trust, deceive you by saying that Jerusalem will not be delivered into the hand of the king of Assyria.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
Resources, by level
Commentaries & study tools
Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.
Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.
Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.
Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.
The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).
Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
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 6:19 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
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.