Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Nehemiah 6:7

And thou hast also appointed prophets to preach of thee at Jerusalem, saying, [There is] a king in Judah: and now shall it be reported to the king according to these words. Come now therefore, and let us take counsel together.

7. thou hast also appointed prophets to preach of thee ] There were doubtless prophets in Jerusalem who supported Nehemiah as well as prophets who opposed him (Neh 6:10-14). Sanballat suggests firstly that Nehemiah had bribed prophets to support him, and secondly that their support was of a treasonable nature. Rashi, perhaps jealous of the sacred term ‘prophets,’ says that the word here denotes ‘eloquent’ speakers. The prophet Malachi may well have been one of the prophets referred to.

It would be a mistake to attach too much importance to Sanballat’s malicious words, or to suppose that they contain a popular misrepresentation of such expressions as Zec 9:9, ‘Behold, thy King cometh.’

to the king ] Implying that the real king Artaxerxes would take summary vengeance for this assumption of royalty by a petty governor.

according to these words ] It is natural as in the A.V. and R.V. to take these words closely with ‘shall it be reported.’ If however, as is not unlikely, the phrase occurs here, as in Neh 6:6, to summarize this part of the letter, we must place a comma after ‘king.’ ‘Now shall it be reported to the king, and so forth,’ i.e. the sentences describing the results of the report and the king’s vengeance need not be transcribed at length.

let us take counsel together ] As much as to say, we offer you the opportunity of an interview, in the course of which you can clear yourself of these charges which are the talk of every bazaar; and we will do all in our power to contradict them in your name.

Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

Verse 7. Thou hast also appointed prophets] Persons who pretend to be commissioned to preach to the people, and say, Nehemiah reigneth!

Come now therefore, and let us take counsel] Come and justify yourself before me. This was a trick to get Nehemiah into his power.

Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible

There is a king in Judah; we have now a king of our own nation, and are free from the bondage of a foreign yoke. Let us take counsel together, that we may impartially examine the matter, that either thy innocency may be cleared, and false accusations may be prevented; or if thou art guilty, the king may be informed.

Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole

And thou hast also appointed prophets to preach of thee at Jerusalem,…. This he said to cover what he and Tobiah had been doing, tampering with, corrupting, and hiring the prophets to discourage him, and put him upon methods, whereby the work would cease:

saying, there is a king in Judah; besides Artaxerxes, whose yoke they were casting off, having got a king of their own, and among them:

and now shall it be reported to the king, according to these words; such a report as this, and in those very words, will soon reach the ears of the king of Persia:

come now, therefore, and let us take counsel together; contrive the best method to put a stop to this report, if a false one, and to wipe off the reproach that is upon thee, and may affect us; and thus partly terrifying him, and partly pretending friendship to him, hoped to get him into his hands.

Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible

7. Prophets to preach of thee Persons designated to proclaim his excellency and worth to the people, so as to gain him favour and prepare the way for his usurpation of royal authority and power.

A king in Judah That is, a descendant of David so noble and great that he ought to be made king of Judah.

Let us take counsel Whether these things are so, and what shall be done respecting these reports. Thus he hoped to frighten Nehemiah into a conference.

Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Neh 6:7 And thou hast also appointed prophets to preach of thee at Jerusalem, saying, [There is] a king in Judah: and now shall it be reported to the king according to these words. Come now therefore, and let us take counsel together.

Ver. 7. And thou hast also appointed prophets, &c. ] That the thing might seem to be of God; as the beast hath his false prophet, that wrought miracles before him, Rev 19:20 ; as Mahomet had his prophets; and John of Leyden had his, to cry him up king of Munster, the New Jerusalem, as they called it, yea, of all nations, to rule them with a rod of iron.

And now shall it be reported to the king ] Who must needs be highly displeased, and wilt as little endure it as the heaven two suns. Sol quasi solus; sic monarcha. Marriage and monarchy will not do away with co-rivals. Romanos geminos unum non caperet Regnum, quos unum uteri ceperat hospitium (Cyprian).

Come now, therefore, and let us take counsel ] In commune consulere, lest we all suffer for your fault. But neither was good Nehemiah in any fault; neither was their drift any other but this, to draw him out of the city, that they might mischieve him; like as Dr Bristow advises his Catholics to get the Protestants out of their stronghold of the Scriptures into the open field of fathers and councils; and then they might do what they would with us.

Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)

There is a king: or, he hath become king.

Come now, &c. The object still compromise.

Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics

appointed: Neh 6:12, Neh 6:13

a king: 2Sa 15:10-12, 1Ki 1:7, 1Ki 1:18, 1Ki 1:25, 1Ki 1:34

Come now: Pro 26:24-26, Act 23:15

Reciprocal: Ecc 1:1 – the Preacher

Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Neh 6:7. Saying, There is a king in Judah We have now a king of our own nation, and are free from the bondage of a foreign yoke. Come now, therefore, and let us take counsel together That we may impartially examine the matter, that thy innocence may be cleared.

Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

6:7 And thou hast also appointed {d} prophets to preach of thee at Jerusalem, saying, [There is] a king in Judah: and now shall it be reported to the king according to these words. Come now therefore, and let us take counsel together.

(d) You have bribed and set up false prophets, to make yourself king, and so to defraud the king of Persia of that subjection which you owe to him.

Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes