The response of Nehemiah (Neh 6:11-6:14)

“But I said. ‘Should a man like me run away? Would a man like me go into the temple to save my life? I will not go in!’ Then I perceived and saw that God had not sent him at all. He had pronounced the prophecy against me because Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him. He was hired for this purpose. He wanted to intimidate me. He wanted to make me sin by acting in this way so that they could give me a bad name in order to taunt me.

‘Remember Tobiah and Sanballat,

O my God,

According to these things that they did,

And also the prophetess Noadiah

And the rest of the prophets

Who wanted to make me afraid.’”

Nehemiah responded by saying that he would not run away. In fact, he said that Shemaiah was a false prophet hired by Tobiah and Sanballat. How he knew about that is not clear, except that he perceived it. However, he realized that by going into the Temple, it would be sinful. They were all trying to make Nehemiah afraid. Once again, Nehemiah ended with a prayer. He asked God to remember what Tobiah and Sanballat had done. He wanted God to remember the prophetess Noadiah, who is only mentioned here. Interesting there is no comment about the false prophet Shemaiah. All these false prophets were trying to make Nehemiah afraid.