Afterward I came unto the house of Shemaiah the son of Delaiah the son of Mehetabeel, who was shut up; and he said, Let us meet together in the house of God, within the temple, and let us shut the doors of the temple: for they will come to slay thee; yea, in the night will they come to slay thee.
Later I went to the house of Shemaiah (son of Delaiah, grandson of Mehetabeel), who had locked himself inside. He said to me, 'Let's meet together in God's house, inside the temple, and lock the doors behind us. They're coming to kill you, yes, they'll come to kill you tonight.'
Shemaiah tries to frighten Nehemiah into hiding in the temple by warning him that enemies are coming to assassinate him that very night.
📚 Historical Context
During the time when Nehemiah was leading the rebuilding of Jerusalem's walls after the Babylonian exile, he faced fierce opposition from enemies like Sanballat and Tobiah, who used deception and intimidation to halt the project. Shemaiah, a man who claimed to be a prophet and was confined to his house, urged Nehemiah to hide in the temple out of fear of assassination, suggesting they lock the doors for safety. This incident highlights the internal threats Nehemiah encountered, as such advice could have discredited him or led him to violate temple protocols reserved for priests.
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