Nehemiah 6:3

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?
• 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?”
• New Living Translation (NLT)so I replied by sending this message to them: “I am engaged in a great work, so I can’t come. Why should I stop working to come and meet with you?”

Context of Nehemiah 6:3

1When word came to Sanballat, Tobiah, Geshem the Arab and the rest of our enemies that I had rebuilt the wall and not a gap was left in it—though up to that time I had not set the doors in the gates— 2Sanballat and Geshem sent me this message: “Come, let us meet together in one of the villages on the plain of Ono.” But they were scheming to harm me; 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?” 4Four times they sent me the same message, and each time I gave them the same answer. 5Then, the fifth time, Sanballat sent his aide to me with the same message, and in his hand was an unsealed letter

Nehemiah 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 14:15The simple believe anything, but the prudent give thought to their steps.
• Matthew 10:16“I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves.
• Ecclesiastes 9:10Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might, for in the realm of the dead, where you are going, there is neither working nor planning nor knowledge nor wisdom.
• Luke 14:30saying, ‘This person began to build and wasn’t able to finish.’
• John 9:4As long as it is day, we must do the works of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work.
• 1 Timothy 4:15Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may 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

• Fellowship
• Geshem
• Liberality
• Tobiah

In the dictionaries

• Feign
• Noble
• Versions, Georgian, Gothic, Slavonic

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