I discerned, and behold, God had not sent him; but he pronounced this prophecy against me. Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him.
Parallel Translations
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I discerned, and behold, God had not sent him; but he pronounced this prophecy against me. Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him.
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And, lo, I perceived that God had not sent him; but that he pronounced this prophecy against me: for Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him.
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And I discerned, and, lo, God had not sent him; for he pronounced this prophecy against me, whereas Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him.
Cross-references (18)
Passages linked to Nehemiah 6:12 in the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge, ordered by reader-vote popularity; verse text shown in World English Bible.
- Ezekiel 13:22 Because with lies you have grieved the heart of the righteous, whom I have not made sad; and strengthened the hands of the wicked, that he should not return from his wicked way, and be saved alive.
- Isaiah 56:11 Yes, the dogs are greedy. They can never have enough. They are shepherds who can’t understand. They have all turned to their own way, each one to his gain, from every quarter.
- Jeremiah 14:14 Then Yahweh said to me, “The prophets prophesy lies in my name. I didn’t send them. I didn’t command them. I didn’t speak to them. They prophesy to you a lying vision, divination, and a thing of nothing, and the deceit of their own heart.
- Jeremiah 23:16 Yahweh of Armies says, “Don’t listen to the words of the prophets who prophesy to you. They teach you vanity. They speak a vision of their own heart, and not out of the mouth of Yahweh.
- Jeremiah 23:25 “I have heard what the prophets have said, who prophesy lies in my name, saying, ‘I had a dream! I had a dream!’
- Jeremiah 28:15 Then the prophet Jeremiah said to Hananiah the prophet, “Listen, Hananiah! Yahweh has not sent you, but you make this people trust in a lie.
- Ezekiel 13:7 Haven’t you seen a false vision, and haven’t you spoken a lying divination, in that you say, ‘Yahweh says;’ but I have not spoken?”
- Ezekiel 13:19 You have profaned me among my people for handfuls of barley and for pieces of bread, to kill the souls who should not die, and to save the souls alive who should not live, by your lying to my people who listen to lies.’
- Micah 3:11 Her leaders judge for bribes, and her priests teach for a price, and her prophets of it tell fortunes for money: yet they lean on Yahweh, and say, “Isn’t Yahweh among us? No disaster will come on us.”
- Acts 20:33 I coveted no one’s silver, gold, or clothing.
- 1 Corinthians 2:15 But he who is spiritual discerns all things, and he himself is judged by no one.
- 1 Corinthians 12:10 and to another workings of miracles; and to another prophecy; and to another discerning of spirits; to another different kinds of languages; and to another the interpretation of languages.
- 1 Timothy 3:3 not a drinker, not violent, not greedy for money, but gentle, not quarrelsome, not covetous;
- Titus 1:7 For the overseer must be blameless, as God’s steward, not self-pleasing, not easily angered, not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for dishonest gain;
- 1 Peter 5:2 Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, exercising the oversight, not under compulsion, but voluntarily, not for dishonest gain, but willingly;
- 2 Peter 2:3 In covetousness they will exploit you with deceptive words: whose sentence now from of old doesn’t linger, and their destruction will not slumber.
- Revelation 18:13 and cinnamon, incense, perfume, frankincense, wine, olive oil, fine flour, wheat, sheep, horses, chariots, and people’s bodies and souls.
- 1 John 4:1 Beloved, don’t believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.
Cross-references from openbible.info (CC BY 4.0)
Explain this verse (10 sources)
Historical commentary, presented as a primary source — not an endorsement.
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John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain Neh 6:12 And, lo, I perceived that God had…
Neh 6:12 And, lo, I perceived that God had not sent him; but that he pronounced this prophecy against me: for Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him.
Ver. 12. And, lo, I perceived that God had not sent him] By my spiritual sagacity I smelt him out; as having my inward senses habitually exercised to discern good and evil, Heb 5:14. Doth not the ear try words, as the mouth tasteth meat? Job 12:11. What though we have not received the spirit of the world (we cannot cog and comply as they can, yet), we have received a better thing, the Spirit of God, the mind of Christ, 1Co 2:12; 1Co 2:16.
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But that he pronounced this prophecy against me] To make my righteous soul sad with his lies, Eze 13:22, and to bring me to disgrace and danger. Luther was wont to advise preachers to see that these three dogs did not follow them into the pulpit: pride, covetousness, and envy.
For Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him] A mere mercenary he was then, and had Linguam Venalem; he could call good evil, and evil good, justify the wicked for a reward, and take away the righteousness of the righteous from him, Isa 5:20. Such false prophets were Dr Shaw and friar Pinket in Richard III’s time, who made use of them as his studges to obtrude bastardy on his brother, King Edward IV, and so to disable his children for the crown, that he might settle it upon his own head (Dan. Hist.). What became of Pinker I know not, but Shaw (as ashamed of his sermon at Paul’s Cross) disconsolately departed, and never after that was publicly seen. Like unto these were Bishop Bourn and Cardinal Pole in Queen Mary’s days. The cardinal, hired with the archbishopric of Canterbury, took for his text, Isa 66:8, and applied it to England, as then happily reduced to the pope’s obedience. Bourn, for the bishopric of Bath, preached such stuff at Paul’s Cross, that the people were ready to tear him in pieces. They flung a dagger at him in the pulpit. Phlugius and Sidonius, authors of the Popish book published in Germany by the name of Interim, Chrisma et oleum pontificium defendebant, ut ipsi discederent unctiores, defended chrism and extreme unction, as being liquored in the fists, and promoted to fat bishoprics (Melch. Adam). But a minister, as he should have nothing to lose, so he should have as little to get; he should be above all price or sale. Nec prece, nec pretio, neither request nor reward, should be his motto.
John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Matthew Poole 1685 · Public Domain I perceived; partly, by considering the sinful nature and…
I perceived; partly, by considering the sinful nature and pernicious consequence of this counsel; partly, by the suggestion of God’s Spirit, whose counsel and help I sought in this matter; and partly, by the event, which discovered that there was no such danger from the approach of the enemy as was pretended.
Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain And, lo, I perceived that God had not sent…
And, lo, I perceived that God had not sent him,.... Because he advised to that which was against the cause of God and true religion:
but that he pronounced the prophecy against me; for by fleeing, as he advised, it would seem that he was guilty of the crimes of rebellion and treason he was charged with; and leaving the people, as they would in course break up, he himself could not be long in safety, no, not in the temple:
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for Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him; this he found out afterwards, on purpose to intimidate him, and take such measures as that thereby he would lose his character and his influence.
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
Joseph Benson 1811 · Public Domain Neh 6:12. I perceived that God had not sent…
Neh 6:12. I perceived that God had not sent him — Partly by considering the sinful nature and pernicious consequences of this counsel; partly by the suggestion of God’s Spirit, whose direction I sought in this matter; and partly by the event, which manifested that there was no such danger from the approach of the enemy as was pretended.
Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Albert Barnes 1834 · Public Domain The existence of a party among the Jews who…
The existence of a party among the Jews who sided with Sanballat and lent themselves to his schemes, is here for the first time indicated. Compare Neh 6:14, Neh 6:17-19; Neh 13:4-5, Neh 13:28.
Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary 1859 · Public Domain Understood, by the nature of the suggestion, and the…
Understood, by the nature of the suggestion, and the manner in which he heard the refusal. Aggeus, or some of the true prophets, might also inform him, (Calmet) or a supernatural light irradiated his mind, unless human sagacity sufficed. (Tirinus) (Menochius)
George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).
Daniel D. Whedon 1874 · Public Domain 12. God had not sent him — Nehemiah soon…
12. God had not sent him — Nehemiah soon perceived that Shemaiah was a false and lying prophet.
This prophecy — Any utterance of advice, counsel, or warning, given by a professed man of God, is in Old Testament usage a prophecy.
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Had hired him — This fact afterwards came to light, greatly to the honour of Nehemiah and to the shame of Shemaiah and those who bribed him. Here Sanballat was found doing the very thing which he had charged on Nehemiah. See Neh_6:7.
Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain 12. And lo, I perceived that] R.V. And I…
12. And lo, I perceived that] R.V. And I discerned, and, lo. The R.V. gives the verb the requisite sense of ‘recognition’ as in Gen_27:23, ‘he discerned him not.’ Not as some commentators ‘I considered.’ Of a sudden, as it were, Nehemiah distinguishes the man’s object. The interjection ‘and, lo,’ follows after the recognition of Shemaiah’s character and intent.
God had not sent him] The emphasis lies on ‘God,’ i.e. it was not God that sent him, but Sanballat and his party. Cf. Jer_23:21, ‘I sent not these prophets, yet they ran: I spake not unto them, yet they prophesied.’ Nehemiah’s words probably refer to the Deuteronomic law about the false prophet that ‘speaketh rebellion against God’ and seeketh ‘to draw thee away from the Lord thy God’ (Deu_13:5; Deu_13:10).
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he pronounced this prophecy against me] i.e. his prophecy was not on behalf of God to declare a divine message, but to oppose Nehemiah.
for (R.V. And) Tobiah and Sanballat] The clause is not a parenthetical explanation, but gives the third point which Nehemiah ‘discerned’ in Shemaiah’s action. He had ‘discerned’ (1) that Shemaiah’s message was not of God, (2) that its purpose was hostile to himself, (3) that it was the result of bribery on the part of Tobiah and Sanballat.
This is the first statement that Tobiah and Sanballat were in communication with a party in Jerusalem itself hostile to Nehemiah, cf. Neh_6:17-19; Neh_13:4; Neh_13:28. ‘Tobiah and Sanballat.’ The usual order of the names is inverted, it has been suggested, because ‘Tobiah was the immediate briber, Sanballat only finding the funds’ (Pulpit Comm.). More probably, however, his name stands first in this passage because in intrigues with the Jews of Jerusalem (Neh_13:4 ff.) he was the more active and dangerous.
hired] Cf. Ezr_4:5.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain And, lo, I perceived, etc. Rather, "And I considered;…
And, lo, I perceived, etc. Rather, "And I considered; and lo! God had not sent him." I reflected on the whole matter, and came to the conclusion that, though he might be a prophet, he had not on this occasion exercised his prophetical office he had not declared to me God"s will. (compare the case of the "old prophet," 1Ki_13:11-18) And I was right, "for (in fact) he had pronounced this prophecy against me, because Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him." "Tobiah and Sanballat" here not "Sanballat and Tobiah," as elsewhere, (Neh_2:10, 19 4:7 6:1) because Tobiah was no doubt the immediate briber, Sanballat merely furnishing the funds.
The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
unfoldingWord translationNotes 2017 · CC BY-SA 4.0 but that he had prophesied against me
but that he had prophesied against me
"but that he had prophesied in order to oppose me"
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and sin
Using the temple as a place to hide was sinful. It may be helpful to make this explicit. AT: "and sin by misusing the temple"
a bad name
This is an idiom. AT: "so that they could give me a bad reputation" or "so that they could give a bad report about me" (See: Idiom)
Call to mind
This is an idiom. AT: "Remember"
Noadiah
This is the name of a woman. (See: How to Translate Names)
translationWords
God
prophet
fear
sin
name
call
mind
unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.