Afterward I came unto the house of Shemaiah the son of Delaiah the son of Mehetabeel, who was shut up; and he said, Let us meet together in the house of God, within the temple, and let us shut the doors of the temple: for they will come to slay thee; yea, in the night will they come to slay thee.

NEHEMIAH 6:10KJV
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Nehemiah 6:10 (KJV)

What does Nehemiah 6:10 mean?

Nehemiah 6:10 describes how Nehemiah visited the house of Shemaiah, who was confined indoors, and heard Shemaiah urge him to hide in the temple because people were coming to kill him at night. The verse shows a moment where Nehemiah is warned of a threat to his life and is advised to seek safety in the temple.

Nehemiah himself is the one visiting Shemaiah, who is described as being "shut up"—likely meaning he was staying inside, perhaps to appear trustworthy or to set the scene for his warning. Shemaiah tells Nehemiah they should meet together inside the temple and shut its doors, claiming that Nehemiah's enemies plan to kill him that night. This event takes place while Nehemiah is leading the rebuilding of Jerusalem’s walls, and it is part of a series of attempts to frighten or stop him.

The Hebrew behind Nehemiah 6:10

  • בֵּית (bêṯ, "house"): This word is used twice—first for Shemaiah's house and then for the "house of God," the temple. The repetition highlights the shift from a private home to the sacred temple, emphasizing the seriousness of the proposed hiding place.
  • נִסְגָּר (nisgar, "shut up"): This word means "confined" or "shut in." Shemaiah's state of being "shut up" may have been meant to create an atmosphere of urgency or secrecy, making his warning seem more credible.
  • הֵיכָל (heikhal, "temple"): This word refers specifically to the temple building itself, not just the temple area. The suggestion to hide in the heikhal was significant because only priests were allowed inside, so this advice would have put Nehemiah in a compromising position.

Why Nehemiah 6:10 matters

  • The verse reveals a subtle attempt to trap Nehemiah, not just a straightforward warning—Shemaiah’s advice would have led Nehemiah to break the law by entering the temple, undermining his leadership and reputation.
  • Nehemiah 6:10 connects to the larger theme of opposition and deception faced by Nehemiah as he works to rebuild Jerusalem, showing that threats sometimes come in the form of seemingly friendly advice.
  • Understanding the details of the temple (heikhal) and who could enter helps clarify why Shemaiah’s suggestion was not just about safety but also about tempting Nehemiah to act wrongly.

Where else these words appear

“Mehetabeel” Hebrew H4105 · used in 3 verses

  • Genesis 36:39 And Baalhanan the son of Achbor died, and Hadar reigned in his stead: and the name of his city was Pau; and his wife's name was Mehetabel, the daughter of Matred, the daughter of Mezahab.
  • 1 Chronicles 1:50 And when Baalhanan was dead, Hadad reigned in his stead: and the name of his city was Pai; and his wife's name was Mehetabel, the daughter of Matred, the daughter of Mezahab.

“Delaiah” Hebrew H1806 · used in 7 verses

  • 1 Chronicles 3:24 And the sons of Elioenai were, Hodaiah, and Eliashib, and Pelaiah, and Akkub, and Johanan, and Dalaiah, and Anani, seven.
  • Ezra 2:60 The children of Delaiah, the children of Tobiah, the children of Nekoda, six hundred fifty and two.
  • Jeremiah 36:12 Then he went down into the king's house, into the scribe's chamber: and, lo, all the princes sat there, even Elishama the scribe, and Delaiah the son of Shemaiah, and Elnathan the son of Achbor, and Gemariah the son of Shaphan, and Zedekiah the son of Hananiah, and all the princes.

“together” Hebrew H3259 · used in 29 verses

  • Exodus 21:8 If she please not her master, who hath betrothed her to himself, then shall he let her be redeemed: to sell her unto a strange nation he shall have no power, seeing he hath dealt deceitfully with her.
  • Numbers 14:35 I the LORD have said, I will surely do it unto all this evil congregation, that are gathered together against me: in this wilderness they shall be consumed, and there they shall die.
  • Job 2:11 Now when Job's three friends heard of all this evil that was come upon him, they came every one from his own place; Eliphaz the Temanite, and Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite: for they had made an appointment together to come to mourn with him and to comfort him.

“Shemaiah” Hebrew H8098 · used in 39 verses

  • 1 Kings 12:22 But the word of God came unto Shemaiah the man of God, saying,
  • 2 Chronicles 11:2 But the word of the LORD came to Shemaiah the man of God, saying,
  • Nehemiah 10:8 Maaziah, Bilgai, Shemaiah: these were the priests.