KJV ORIGINAL
Therefore was he hired, that I should be afraid, and do so, and sin, and that they might have matter for an evil report, that they might reproach me.
Close to the original. Clear modern English.
✦ MADE SIMPLE
He was paid to make me afraid so I would act wrongly and sin, giving them something bad to say about me so they could ruin my reputation.
⚡ THE BOTTOM LINE
Nehemiah realizes his enemies hired someone to trick him into doing something wrong so they could destroy his good name.
📚 Historical Context
Nehemiah was leading the rebuilding of Jerusalem's walls around 445 BC, facing constant opposition from local enemies like Sanballat and Tobiah. In this context, the prophet Shemaiah had just advised Nehemiah to hide in the temple for safety, but Nehemiah recognized this as a trap since he wasn't a priest and entering the temple improperly would be sinful.
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