The Meaning of Nehemiah 6:3 Explained

Nehemiah 6:3

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?

YLT: And I send unto them messengers, saying, 'A great work I am doing, and I am not able to come down; why doth the work cease when I let it alone, and have come down unto 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?

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?

Discover Nehemiah 6:3

CONTEXT: What is the Context of Nehemiah 6:3?

MEANING: What does Nehemiah 6:3 Mean?

WORDS: What do the individual words in Nehemiah 6:3 mean?

RELATIONS: What do the major concepts mean in Nehemiah 6:3?

What is the context of Nehemiah 6:3?

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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?

What does Nehemiah 6:3 Mean?

Context Summary

Nehemiah 6:1-19 - A Great Task-A Safeguard From Danger

How often Satan tries to call us off from our work for God! He cannot endure to see us engaged so eagerly on our Master's business and therefore raises up all sorts of hindrances and hostilities. Amid all these we have but one duty to perform. We must lose ourselves in our work. Ours to reply, "I am doing a great work, I cannot come down; why should the work cease?" If we will see to God's business, He will see to our safety. False friends, who prophesy in God's name, are more to be dreaded than open foes. We must learn to discern the spirits. The counsel which savors of self is always to be suspected. Note that Nehemiah considered that to have fear would have been to sin. But God was with the little band through dangers, and the wall was finished in spite of all opposition, 1 Corinthians 15:58. [source]

Chapter Summary: Nehemiah 6

¹ Sanballat practices by craft, by rumors, and by hired prophecies, to terrify Nehemiah
¹⁵ The work is finished, to the terror of the enemies
¹⁷ Secret intelligence passes between the enemies and the nobles of Judah

What do the individual words in Nehemiah 6:3 mean?

So I sent to them messengers saying a work great I [am] doing so that cannot I come down why should cease the work while I leave it and go down to you

וָאֶשְׁלְחָ֨ה עֲלֵיהֶ֤ם מַלְאָכִים֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר מְלָאכָ֤ה גְדוֹלָה֙ אֲנִ֣י עֹשֶׂ֔ה וְלֹ֥א אוּכַ֖ל לָרֶ֑דֶת לָ֣מָּה תִשְׁבַּ֤ת הַמְּלָאכָה֙ כַּאֲשֶׁ֣ר אַרְפֶּ֔הָ וְיָרַדְתִּ֖י אֲלֵיכֶֽם

וָאֶשְׁלְחָ֨ה	So I sent
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, first person common singular, third person feminine singular Root: שָׁלַח Sense: to send, send away, let go, stretch out.
עֲלֵיהֶ֤ם	to them
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine plural Root: עַל Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.
מַלְאָכִים֙	messengers
Parse: Noun, masculine plural Root: מַלְאָךְ Sense: messenger, representative.
לֵאמֹ֔ר	saying
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct Root: אָמַר Sense: to say, speak, utter.
מְלָאכָ֤ה	a work
Parse: Noun, feminine singular Root: מְלָאכָה Sense: occupation, work, business.
גְדוֹלָה֙	great
Parse: Adjective, feminine singular Root: גָּבֹול Sense: great.
עֹשֶׂ֔ה	[am] doing
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular Root: עָשָׂה Sense: to do, fashion, accomplish, make.
וְלֹ֥א	so that cannot
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb, Negative particle Root: הֲלֹא Sense: not, no.
לָרֶ֑דֶת	come down
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct Root: יָרַד Sense: to go down, descend, decline, march down, sink down.
לָ֣מָּה	why
Parse: Interrogative Root: לָמָּה Sense: what, how, of what kind.
תִשְׁבַּ֤ת	should cease
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person feminine singular Root: שָׁבַת Sense: to cease, desist, rest.
הַמְּלָאכָה֙	the work
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular Root: מְלָאכָה Sense: occupation, work, business.
כַּאֲשֶׁ֣ר	while
Parse: Preposition-k, Pronoun, relative Root: אֲשֶׁר Sense: (relative part.).
אַרְפֶּ֔הָ	I leave it
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperfect, first person common singular, third person feminine singular Root: רָפָה Sense: to sink, relax, sink down, let drop, be disheartened.
וְיָרַדְתִּ֖י	and go down
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, first person common singular Root: יָרַד Sense: to go down, descend, decline, march down, sink down.
אֲלֵיכֶֽם	to you
Parse: Preposition, second person masculine plural Root: אֶל Sense: to, toward, unto (of motion).

What are the major concepts related to Nehemiah 6:3?

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Similar Scriptures for Nehemiah 6:3

		1 Timothy 4:15-16 [3]
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		Matthew 10:16 [2]
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