Nehemiah 6:2

"Now when it was reported to Sanballat, Tobiah, Geshem the Arabian, and to the rest of our enemies that I had built the wall, and that there was no breach left in it (though even to that time I had not set up the doors in the gates),"

Key Reflection

In Nehemiah 6:2, we see a significant moment where Sanballat, Tobiah, Geshem the Arabian, and other adversaries learn that Nehemiah has successfully completed the wall around Jerusalem. Despite not yet installing doors in the gates (indicating the wall was nearly but not fully functional), these enemies are already plotting against Nehemiah. This situation underscores the strategic importance of the wall for both security and political control over Jerusalem. The rapid response from the adversaries highlights the immediate threat that this project posed to their influence, as a fortified Jerusalem would challenge their power in the region.

From the Scholars: Barnes' Notes

The choice made of Ono, on the skirts of Benjamin, 25 or 30 miles from Jerusalem, as the meeting-place, was, no doubt, in order to draw Nehemiah to a distance from his supporters, that so an attack might be made on him with a better chance of success.

More from Nehemiah 6

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