New English Translation
Nehemiah 6:3
3So I sent messengers to them saying, “I am engaged in an important work, and I am unable to come down. Why should the work come to a halt when I leave it to 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
1When Sanballat, Tobiah, Geshem the Arab, and the rest of our enemies heard that I had rebuilt the wall and no breach remained in it (even though up to that time I had not positioned doors in the gates), 2Sanballat and Geshem sent word to me saying, “Come on! Let’s set up a time to meet together at Kephirim in the plain of Ono.” Now they intended to do me harm. So I sent messengers to them saying, “I am engaged in an important work, and I am unable to come down. Why should the work come to a halt when I leave it to come down to you?” 4They contacted me four times in this way, and I responded the same way each time. 5The fifth time that Sanballat sent his assistant to me in this way, he had 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
Words taken from the KJV.
- And I sentשָׁלַחshâlach · to send: departH7971
- messengersמַלְאָךְmal'âk · messengerH4397
- unto them, sayingאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- doingעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to make: doH6213
- a greatגָּדוֹלgâdôl gâdôl · great: largeH1419
- workמְלָאכָהmelâ'kâh · workH4399
- so that I cannotיָכֹלyâkôl yâkôl · be ableH3201
- come downיָרַדyârad · to go downH3381
- ceaseשָׁבַתshâbath · to ceaseH7673
- whilstכַּאֲשֶׁר'ăsher · as whichH834
- I leaveרָפָהrâphâh · to slackenH7503
Cross-references for Nehemiah 6:3
- Proverbs 14:15A naive person believes everything, but the shrewd person discerns his steps.
- Matthew 10:16“I am sending you out like sheep surrounded by wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves.
- Ecclesiastes 9:10Whatever you find to do with your hands, do it with all your might, because there is neither work nor planning nor knowledge nor wisdom in the grave, the place where you will eventually go.
- Luke 14:30They will say, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish!’
- John 9:4We must perform the deeds of the one who sent me as long as it is daytime. Night is coming when no one can work.
- 1 Timothy 4:15Take pains with these things; be absorbed in them, so that everyone will see your progress.
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
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