Nehemiah 6:1
in Nehemiah 6When 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—
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Now it came to pass, when it was reported to Sanballat and Tobiah, and to Geshem the Arabian, and unto the rest of our enemies, that I had builded the wall, and that there was no breach left therein (though even unto that time I had not set up the doors in the gates),
KJV
Now it came to pass, when Sanballat, and Tobiah, and Geshem the Arabian, and the rest of our enemies, heard that I had builded the wall, and that there was no breach left therein; (though at that time I had not set up the doors upon the gates;)
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This verse in Nehemiah 6
Commentary
5 notes on this verseThis site's exposition
not a gap was left
on Nehemiah 6:1-2
Sanballat, Tobiah and Geshem hear that "not a gap was left" in the wall. The enemies switch to an invitation: "Come, let us meet together in one of the villages on the plain of Ono" (6:2). The narrator states the aim plainly: "they were planning to harm me."
The record, by era
The Medieval Church1 voice
Now it happened that when Sanaballat and Tobiah heard, etc. The enemies of the holy city urge Nehemiah to descend to the plains and enter into a covenant of peace with them, with calves slain together as a testimony of the contracted covenant. However, he, …
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
); they must therefore now or never, by one bold stroke, take off Nehemiah. They heard how well guarded he was, so that there was no attacking him upon the spot; they will therefore try by all the arts of wheedling to get him among them.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — leading-punctuation+unbalanced-parens
Now it came to pass, when Sanballat and Tobiah, and Geshem the Arabian, and the rest of our enemies, heard that I had builded the wall,.... Quite finished it: and that there was no breach left therein; but all was made up firm and strong: though at that time I had not set up the doors upon the gates; not upon all of them, though some might by the particular builders of them; and they all of them might be ready made, though not as yet put upon the hinges.
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
Upon the gates - Rather, “in the gates.” This work would naturally be delayed until the last phase.
The words behind it
25 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיְהִ֣י | vayhi | and it was | H1961 → | 3559 times |
| כַאֲשֶׁ֣ר | khaasher | just when | H834 → | 5497 times |
| נִשְׁמַ֣ע | nishma' | it was heard | H8085 → | 1159 times |
| לְסַנְבַלַּ֣ט | lesanvalat | by Sanballat | H5571 → | 10 times |
| וְ֠טוֹבִיָּה | vetoiyah | and Tobiah | H2900 → | 18 times |
| וּלְגֶ֨שֶׁם | ulegeshem | and by Geshem | H1654 → | 4 times |
| הָֽעַרְבִ֜י | haarvi | the Arab | H6163 → | 9 times |
| וּלְיֶ֣תֶר | uleyeter | and by [the] rest of | H3499 → | 102 times |
| אֹֽיְבֵ֗ינוּ | ʾoyeveinu | enemies our | H341 → | 282 times |
| כִּ֤י | ki | that | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| בָנִ֙יתִי֙ | vaniti | I had rebuilt | H1129 → | 376 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| הַ֣חוֹמָ֔ה | hachomah | the wall | H2346 → | 133 times |
| וְלֹא־ | velo'- | and not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| נ֥וֹתַר | notar | it was left | H3498 → | |
| בָּ֖הּ | bah | in it | ||
| פָּ֑רֶץ | paretz | a breach | H6556 → | |
| גַּ֚ם | gam | also | H1571 → | 769 times |
| עַד־ | ʾad- | until | H5704 → | 1261 times |
| הָעֵ֣ת | haet | the time | H6256 → | 296 times |
| הַהִ֔יא | hahi' | <the> that | H1931 → | 1879 times |
| דְּלָת֖וֹת | delatot | doors | H1817 → | 88 times |
| לֹא־ | lo'- | not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| הֶעֱמַ֥דְתִּי | heemadti | I had set up | H5975 → | 521 times |
| בַשְּׁעָרִֽים׃ | vashearim | in the gates | H8179 → | 374 times |
וַיְהִ֣יand it was
vayhiH1961 →3559 times
כַאֲשֶׁ֣רjust when
khaasherH834 →5497 times
נִשְׁמַ֣עit was heard
nishma'H8085 →1159 times
לְסַנְבַלַּ֣טby Sanballat
lesanvalatH5571 →10 times
וְ֠טוֹבִיָּהand Tobiah
vetoiyahH2900 →18 times
וּלְגֶ֨שֶׁםand by Geshem
ulegeshemH1654 →4 times
הָֽעַרְבִ֜יthe Arab
haarviH6163 →9 times
וּלְיֶ֣תֶרand by [the] rest of
uleyeterH3499 →102 times
אֹֽיְבֵ֗ינוּenemies our
ʾoyeveinuH341 →282 times
כִּ֤יthat
kiH3588 →4482 times
בָנִ֙יתִי֙I had rebuilt
vanitiH1129 →376 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
הַ֣חוֹמָ֔הthe wall
hachomahH2346 →133 times
וְלֹא־and not
velo'-H3808 →5168 times
נ֥וֹתַרit was left
notarH3498 →
בָּ֖הּin it
bah
פָּ֑רֶץa breach
paretzH6556 →
גַּ֚םalso
gamH1571 →769 times
עַד־until
ʾad-H5704 →1261 times
הָעֵ֣תthe time
haetH6256 →296 times
הַהִ֔יא<the> that
hahi'H1931 →1879 times
דְּלָת֖וֹתdoors
delatotH1817 →88 times
לֹא־not
lo'-H3808 →5168 times
הֶעֱמַ֥דְתִּיI had set up
heemadtiH5975 →521 times
בַשְּׁעָרִֽים׃in the gates
vashearimH8179 →374 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Nehemiah 2:10But when Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite official heard about this, they were deeply disturbed that someone had come to seek the well-being of the Israelites.
it leads to
- Nehemiah 2:19
But when Sanballat the Horonite, Tobiah the Ammonite official, and Geshem the Arab heard about this, they mocked us and ridiculed us, saying, “What is this you are doing? Are you rebelling against the…
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Nehemiah 4:7
When Sanballat and Tobiah, together with the Arabs, Ammonites, and Ashdodites, heard that the repair to the walls of Jerusalem was progressing and that the gaps were being closed, they were furious,
- Nehemiah 2:19
Through
Nehemiah 3:1At the Sheep Gate, Eliashib the high priest and his fellow priests began rebuilding. They dedicated it and installed its doors. After building as far as the Tower of the Hundred and the Tower…
it leads to
- Nehemiah 12:39
over the Gate of Ephraim, the Jeshanah Gate, the Fish Gate, the Tower of Hananel, and the Tower of the Hundred, as far as the Sheep Gate. And they stopped at the Gate of…
- Jeremiah 31:38
“The days are coming,” declares the LORD, “when this city will be rebuilt for Me, from the tower of Hananel to the Corner Gate.
- John 5:2
Now there is in Jerusalem near the Sheep Gate a pool with five covered colonnades, which in Hebrew is called Bethesda.
- Nehemiah 12:39
Through
Nehemiah 2:19But when Sanballat the Horonite, Tobiah the Ammonite official, and Geshem the Arab heard about this, they mocked us and ridiculed us, saying, “What is this you are doing? Are you rebelling against the…
it leads to
- Nehemiah 6:6
that read: “It is reported among the nations—and Geshem agrees—that you and the Jews are plotting to revolt, and this is why you are building the wall. According to these reports, you are to…
- Nehemiah 6:6
Through
Nehemiah 4:1Now when Sanballat heard that we were rebuilding the wall, he was furious and filled with indignation. He ridiculed the Jews
it leads to
- Nehemiah 2:10
But when Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite official heard about this, they were deeply disturbed that someone had come to seek the well-being of the Israelites.
- Hebrews 11:36
Still others endured mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment.
- Nehemiah 2:10
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies2
On this verse
On this chapter
What the record shows
1 entry- Geshem (Gashmu) the Arabian — attested in contemporary inscriptionwell-supported
Aramaic silver-bowl inscription, Tell el-Maskhuta (naming Qainu son of Geshem, king of Qedar)
Biblical figure (Arabian opponent of Nehemiah, late 5th c. BC) identified in extra-biblical epigraphy.
Counterpoint: The silver bowl names Qainu son of Geshem, king of Qedar — the son, not Geshem himself — and dates to around 400 BC, after Nehemiah's time. Geshem was a common Arabian name, so the identification rests on date, region, and royal title rather than on the man being named, which is why scholars call it likely rather than certain.
About Nehemiah
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Bede, Commentary on Ezra and Nehemiah; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.