New American Standard Bible 2020
Nehemiah 6:3
3So I sent messengers to them, saying, “I am doing a great work and am unable to come down. Why should the work stop while I leave it and come down to you?”
Nehemiah 6:3 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And I sent messengers unto them, saying, I am doing a great work, so that I cannot come down: why should the work cease, whilst I leave it, and come down to you?
- New International Version (NIV)so I sent messengers to them with this reply: “I am carrying on a great project and cannot go down. Why should the work stop while I leave it and go down to you?”
- English Standard Version (ESV)And I sent messengers to them, saying, "I am doing a great work and I cannot come down. Why should the work stop while I leave it and come down to you?"
- New King James Version (NKJV)So I sent messengers to them, saying, “I am doing a great work, so that I cannot come down. Why should the work cease while I leave it and go down to you?”
Context of Nehemiah 6:3
1Now when it was reported to Sanballat, Tobiah, Geshem the Arab, and to the rest of our enemies that I had rebuilt the wall, and that no breach was left in it, although at that time I had not installed the doors in the gates, 2Sanballat and Geshem sent a message to me, saying, “Come, let’s meet together at Chephirim in the plain of Ono.” But they were plotting to harm me. So I sent messengers to them, saying, “I am doing a great work and am unable to come down. Why should the work stop while I leave it and come down to you?” 4Then they sent messages to me four times worded in this way, and I answered them with the same wording. 5Then Sanballat sent his servant to me in the same way a fifth time with an open letter in his hand.
Read all of Nehemiah 6Nehemiah 6:3 word by word
וָאֶשְׁלְחָ֨ה עֲלֵיהֶ֤ם מַלְאָכִים֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר מְלָאכָ֤ה גְדוֹלָה֙ אֲנִ֣י עֹשֶׂ֔ה וְלֹ֥א אוּכַ֖ל לָרֶ֑דֶת לָ֣מָּה תִשְׁבַּ֤ת הַמְּלָאכָה֙ כַּאֲשֶׁ֣ר אַרְפֶּ֔הָ וְיָרַדְתִּ֖י אֲלֵיכֶֽם׃Read the interlinear
- So I sentשָׁלַחshâlach · to send: departH7971
- messengersמַלְאָךְmal'âk · messengerH4397
- to them, sayingאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- I am doingעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to make: doH6213
- a greatגָּדוֹלgâdôl gâdôl · great: largeH1419
- workמְלָאכָהmelâ'kâh · workH4399
- and amיָכֹלyâkôl yâkôl · be ableH3201
- unableלֹאlô' lô' lôh · notH3808
- to comeיָרַדyârad · to go downH3381
- Whyמָהmâh mah mâ ma meh · what?H4100
- stopשָׁבַתshâbath · to ceaseH7673
- I leaveרָפָהrâphâh · to slackenH7503
Cross-references for Nehemiah 6:3
- Proverbs 14:15The naive believes everything, But the sensible person considers his steps.
- Matthew 10:16“Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves; so be as wary as serpents, and as innocent as doves.
- Ecclesiastes 9:10Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might; for there is no activity, planning, knowledge, or wisdom in Sheol where you are going.
- Luke 14:30saying, ‘This person began to build, and was not able to finish!’
- John 9:4We must carry out the works of Him who sent Me as long as it is day; night is coming, when no one can work.
- 1 Timothy 4:15Take pains with these things; be absorbed in them, so that your progress will be evident to all.
Commentaries on Nehemiah 6:3
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 3I am doing a great work - Though he knew their design, he does not think it prudent to mention it. Had he done so, they would probably have gone to extremities, finding that they were discovered; and perhaps in a formidable body attacked Jerusalem, when ill provided to sustain such a shock. They wished to effect their purpose rather by treachery than by open violence. I know not any language which a man who is employed on important labors can use more…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-19After solving the financial crisis (see Nehemiah 5), the story shifts back to how those against rebuilding tried to scare or stop Nehemiah.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-192-4. Then Sanballat and Geshem sent unto me--The Samaritan leaders, convinced that they could not overcome Nehemiah by open arms, resolved to gain advantage over him by deceit and stratagem. With this in view, under pretext of terminating their differences in an amicable manner, they invited him to a conference. The place of rendezvous was fixed "in some one of the villages in the plain of Ono." "In the villages" is, Hebrew, "in Cephirim," or "Chephirah,"…Read the comment
Topics related to Nehemiah 6:3
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Nehemiah 6
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
New American Standard Bible 2020 — © 1960–2020 The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.
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