He hired so that I would be afraid, do so, and sin, and that they might have material for an evil report, that they might reproach me.
Parallel Translations
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He hired so that I would be afraid, do so, and sin, and that they might have material for an evil report, that they might reproach me.
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Therefore was he hired, that I should be afraid, and do so, and sin, and that they might have matter for an evil report, that they might reproach me.
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For this cause was he hired, that I should be afraid, and do so, and sin, and that they might have matter for an evil report, that they might taunt me.
Cross-references (23)
Passages linked to Nehemiah 6:13 in the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge, ordered by reader-vote popularity; verse text shown in World English Bible.
- Jeremiah 20:10 For I have heard the defaming of many, “Terror on every side! Denounce, and we will denounce him!” say all my familiar friends, those who watch for my fall. “Perhaps he will be persuaded, and we will prevail against him, and we will take our revenge on him.”
- Nehemiah 6:6 in which was written, “It is reported among the nations, and Gashmu says it, that you and the Jews intend to rebel. Because of that, you are building the wall. You would be their king, according to these words.
- Proverbs 29:5 A man who flatters his neighbor spreads a net for his feet.
- 2 Corinthians 11:12 But what I do, that I will do, that I may cut off occasion from those who desire an occasion, that in which they boast, they may be found even as we.
- 2 Timothy 1:7 For God didn’t give us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and self-control.
- James 4:17 To him therefore who knows to do good, and doesn’t do it, to him it is sin.
- Isaiah 57:11 “Whom have you dreaded and feared, so that you lie, and have not remembered me, nor laid it to your heart? Haven’t I held my peace for a long time, and you don’t fear me?
- Jeremiah 18:18 Then they said, “Come! Let’s devise plans against Jeremiah; for the law won’t perish from the priest, nor counsel from the wise, nor the word from the prophet. Come, and let’s strike him with the tongue, and let’s not give heed to any of his words.”
- Matthew 10:28 Don’t be afraid of those who kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul. Rather, fear him who is able to destroy both soul and body in Gehenna.
- Matthew 22:15 Then the Pharisees went and took counsel how they might entrap him in his talk.
- Matthew 26:59 Now the chief priests, the elders, and the whole council sought false testimony against Jesus, that they might put him to death;
- Acts 6:13 and set up false witnesses who said, “This man never stops speaking blasphemous words against this holy place and the law.
- 1 Timothy 5:14 I desire therefore that the younger widows marry, bear children, rule the household, and give no occasion to the adversary for insulting.
- Revelation 21:8 But for the cowardly, unbelieving, sinners, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their part is in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.”
- Proverbs 22:1 A good name is more desirable than great riches, and loving favor is better than silver and gold.
- Ecclesiastes 7:1 A good name is better than fine perfume; and the day of death better than the day of one’s birth.
- Isaiah 51:7 “Listen to me, you who know righteousness, the people in whose heart is my law. Don’t fear the reproach of men, and don’t be dismayed at their insults.
- Isaiah 51:12-13 “I, even I, am he who comforts you. Who are you, that you are afraid of man who shall die, and of the son of man who will be made as grass? Have you forgotten Yahweh your Maker, who stretched out the heavens, and laid the foundations of the earth? Do you live in fear continually all day because of the fury of the oppressor, when he prepares to destroy? Where is the fury of the oppressor?
- Jeremiah 1:17 “You therefore put your belt on your waist, arise, and say to them all that I command you. Don’t be dismayed at them, lest I dismay you before them.
- Ezekiel 2:6 You, son of man, don’t be afraid of them, neither be afraid of their words, though briers and thorns are with you, and you dwell among scorpions. Don’t be afraid of their words, nor be dismayed at their looks, though they are a rebellious house.
- Ezekiel 13:17-23 You, son of man, set your face against the daughters of your people, who prophesy out of their own heart; and prophesy against them, and say, “The Lord Yahweh says: ‘Woe to the women who sew pillows on all elbows, and make kerchiefs for the head of persons of every stature to hunt souls! Will you hunt the souls of my people, and save souls alive for yourselves? 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.’ “Therefore the Lord Yahweh says: ‘Behold, I am against your pillows, with which you hunt the souls to make them fly, and I will tear them from your arms. I will let the souls go, even the souls whom you hunt to make them fly. I will also tear your kerchiefs, and deliver my people out of your hand, and they will be no more in your hand to be hunted. Then you will know that I am Yahweh. 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. Therefore you shall no more see false visions, nor practice divination. I will deliver my people out of your hand. Then you will know that I am Yahweh.’ ”
- Titus 2:8 and soundness of speech that can’t be condemned, that he who opposes you may be ashamed, having no evil thing to say about us.
- Daniel 6:4-5 Then the presidents and the local governors sought to find occasion against Daniel as touching the kingdom; but they could find no occasion or fault, because he was faithful. There wasn’t any error or fault found in him. Then these men said, “We won’t find any occasion against this Daniel, unless we find it against him concerning the law of his God.”
Cross-references from openbible.info (CC BY 4.0)
Explain this verse (10 sources)
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John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain Neh 6:13 Therefore [was] he hired, that I should…
Neh 6:13 Therefore [was] he hired, that I should be afraid, and do so, and sin, and [that] they might have [matter] for an evil report, that they might reproach me.
Ver. 13. Therefore was he hired, that I should be afraid] But they were much mistaken in their aims: this matter was not malleable. Nehemiah was a man of another spirit, of a Caleb-like spirit; he was fide armatus, Deo armatus, soldier by faith and for God, and therefore undaunted; he was full of spiritual mettle, for he knew whom he had trusted.
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And do so, and sin] Nehemiah feared nothing but sin, and the fruit thereof, shame and reproach, so great was his spirit, so right set were both his judgment and affections. But if anything would have drawn him aside from the straight ways of the Lord, base fear was the likeliest; as we see in David at Gath, and Peter in the high priest’s hall. See Zep 3:13, {See Trapp on "Zep 3:13"} Pessimus in dubiis augur Timor.
And that they might have matter for an evil report] This wicked men watch for, as a dog doth for a bone; and if they get but the least hint, oh how happy do they hold themselves! what wide mouths do they open! &c. It is our part, therefore (by a Nehemiah-like conversation), to put to silence the ignorance of foolish men, who, like blackamoors, despise beauty; like dogs, bark at the shining of the moon. Of Luther it was said by Erasmus, Nec hostes reperiant quod calumnientur. Of Bishop Hooper it is said, that his life was so good that no kind of slander (although divers went about to reprove it) could fasten any fault upon him (Act. and Mon. 1366). The like is reported of Bradford and Bucer. We should so carry ourselves, ut nemo de nobis maleloqui absque mendacio possit, as Jerome hath it, that none might speak evil of us without a manifest lie.
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 That I should do so, and sin, by going…
That I should do so, and sin, by going into a place forbidden to me, and that in such a time and manner, and upon such an occasion; which would have been both sinful and shameful: See Poole "Neh 6:11".
That they might reproach me as a coward, and conscious of my own guilt, that so they might make me contemptible and odious, both to my own people, and to the king of Persia.
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 Therefore was he hired, that I should be afraid,…
Therefore was he hired, that I should be afraid, and do so,
and sin,.... By distrusting the power and providence of God to protect him, and by going into such a part of the temple, which he, being no priest, had no right to go into:
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and that they might have matter for an evil report, that they might reproach me; as a rebel and traitor against the king, which had been reported of him, and which would be strengthened by such a step.
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
John Wesley 1765 · Public Domain And sin - By going into a place forbidden…
And sin - By going into a place forbidden to me, and that in such a manner, which would have been both sinful and shameful. Reproach - As a coward, and conscious of my own guilt, that they might make me contemptible and odious both to my own people, and to the king of Persia.
John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.
Joseph Benson 1811 · Public Domain Neh 6:13. That I should be afraid, and do…
Neh 6:13. That I should be afraid, and do so, and sin — By going into a place forbidden to me, and that in such a manner, which would have been both sinful and shameful. That they might reproach me — As a coward, and conscious of my own guilt, that they might make me contemptible and odious, both to my own people and to the king of Persia.
Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary 1859 · Public Domain Sin, by taking any false step, so as to…
Sin, by taking any false step, so as to offend the people.
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).
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain 13. Therefore] R.V. For this cause.
13. Therefore] R.V. For this cause.
and sin] i.e. by transgressing ‘the law,’ by violating the sanctity of the House of God.
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matter for an evil report] Literally, ‘and that it might be to them for an evil name.’ The Vulgate gives the sense generally ‘et haberent malum quod exprobrarent mihi.’ The LXX. goes wrong, καὶ γένωμαι αὐτοῖς εἰς ὄνομα πονηρόν. The phrase ‘an evil name’ occurs also in Deu_22:14; Deu_22:19 in the sense ‘an evil report.’
Nehemiah would incur ‘an evil name’ with the priestly class and the strict Jews for consulting his personal safety rather than the sanctity of the law. Such conduct would weaken his hold upon the best people of the nation. Cf. Psa_38:16, ‘For I said, Lest they rejoice over me: when my foot slippeth, they magnify themselves against me.’
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.
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers 1878 · Public Domain (13) An evil report.—Nehemiah perceived that not God, but…
(13) An evil report.—Nehemiah perceived that not God, but Shemaiah himself, had uttered the prophecy “against me,” and that he was hired to bring the governor into discredit as a violator of law.
A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain Therefore was he hired, etc. Their motive for bribing…
Therefore was he hired, etc. Their motive for bribing him was, that I might be induced by-fear to do as Shemaiah suggested, and so to commit sin; whereby they would have a just ground for spreading an evil report concerning me, and making my misconduct a constant reproach to me. Nehemiah"s influence depended greatly on the weight of his moral character. One false step, and he would have been lost; his influence would have been gone; and the work on which his heart was set would have come to nought.
The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Biblical Illustrator 1887 · Public Domain Therefore was he hired.
Neh_6:13
Therefore was he hired.
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Bribery
I. Its existence and varieties.
1. In statecraft.
2. In trade.
3. In morals and religion.
II. Its effects.
1. Personal degradation.
2. General disorganisation.
3. Hindrance of all good.
III. Its cure.
1. Self-denial.
2. Resolute unmercifulness to the briber.
3. Trust in God and faith in right. (Homiletic Commentary.)
The Biblical Illustrator, edited by Joseph S. Exell (c. 1880s–1900s) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.