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.
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.
Nehemiah realizes his enemies hired someone to trick him into doing something wrong so they could destroy his good name.
📚 Historical Context
In the Book of Nehemiah, the Jewish people had returned from exile in Babylon and were rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem under Nehemiah's leadership, facing strong opposition from regional enemies like Sanballat and Tobiah. These foes used various tactics, including hiring false prophets, to undermine the project and create division. This verse specifically refers to a prophet who was bribed to frighten Nehemiah into a sinful act, such as hiding in the temple, which would give his enemies grounds to slander and disgrace him.
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