Nehemiah 6:3
1 When Sanballat, Tobiah, Geshem the Arab, and the rest of our enemies heard that I had rebuilt the wall and not a gap was left—though to that time I had not yet installed the doors in the gates—
2 Sanballat and Geshem sent me this message: “Come, let us meet together in one of the villages on the plain of Ono.” But they were planning to harm me.
So I sent messengers to them, saying, “I am doing a great work and cannot come down. Why should the work stop while I leave it to go down to you?”
4 Four times they sent me the same message, and each time I gave the same reply.
5 The fifth time, Sanballat sent me this same message by his young servant, who had in his hand an unsealed letter
Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.
Compare
- BSB
- So I sent messengers to them, saying, “I am doing a great work and cannot come down. Why should the work stop while I leave it to go down to you?”
- KJV
- And I sent messengers unto them, saying, I am doing a great work, so that I cannot come down: why should the work cease, whilst I leave it, and come down to you?
- WEB
- I sent messengers to them, saying, “I am doing a great work, so that I can’t come down. Why should the work cease while I leave it and come down to you?”
- ASV
- And I sent messengers unto them, saying, I am doing a great work, so that I cannot come down: why should the work cease, whilst I leave it, and come down to you?
- DARBY
- And I sent messengers to them, saying, I am doing a great work, and I cannot come down. Why should the work cease, whilst I leave it and come down to you?
- BLB
- And I sent to them messengers, saying, “I [am] doing a great work, and I am not able to come down. Why should the work cease while I leave it and go down to you⁺?”
- ÅB
- Jeg sendte bud tilbake til dem og svarte: Jeg holder på med et stort arbeid og kan ikke komme ned; skulle kanskje arbeidet hvile fordi jeg lot det ligge og dro ned til dere?
- OTB
- Så jeg sendte budbringere til dem og sa: “Jeg er opptatt med et viktig arbeid og kan ikke komme ned. Hvorfor skulle arbeidet stanse mens jeg forlater det og kommer ned til dere?”
- B1930
- Jeg sendte bud tilbake til dem og svarte: Jeg holder på med et stort arbeid og kan ikke komme ned; skulde kanskje arbeidet hvile fordi jeg lot det ligge og drog ned til eder?
Study notes (Tyndale)
Original text and word study
Cross references
Matthew 10:16
Behold, I am sending you out like sheep among wolves; therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves.
Read in contextJohn 9:4
While it is daytime, we must do the works of Him who sent Me. Night is coming, when no one can work.
Read in context1 Timothy 4:15–16
Be diligent in these matters and absorbed in them, so that your progress will be evident to all.
Read in contextProverbs 14:15
The simple man believes every word, but the prudent man watches his steps.
Read in contextLuke 14:30
saying, ‘This man could not finish what he started to build.’
Read in contextEcclesiastes 9:10
Whatever you find to do with your hands, do it with all your might, for in Sheol, where you are going, there is no work or planning or knowledge or wisdom.
Read in context