Nehemiah 6:11

And I said, Should such a man as I flee? and who is there, that, being as I am, would go into the temple to save his life? I will not go in.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(11) Should such a man as I flee?—First, the expression of personal dignity. Then of fear: “Who, being as I am” (a layman), “would go into the Temple to save his life?” Rather, and live? (Numbers 18:7).

Benson Commentary

Nehemiah 6:11. Should such a man as I flee? — I, who am governor, and ought to show a good example of undaunted courage? I, upon whose presence, counsel, and conduct, the very life and being of the whole city and nation, in a great measure, depend? I, who have professed such resolution and confidence in God, and have had such eminent experience of his gracious and powerful assistance, of his calling me to this employment, and carrying me through it when our danger was greater than now it is? Shall I now dishonour God and religion, and betray the people and city of God, by my cowardice? God forbid! Who is there that, being as I am, would go into the temple to save his life? — Even though his life depended upon it. Shall I go in as if I had a bad cause or an evil conscience? as if I were a malefactor, and fled thither for refuge? as if I durst not trust God with my preservation except I went into the temple, which it is not lawful for me to do, not being a priest?

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

6:10-14 The greatest mischief our enemies can do us, is, to frighten us from our duty, and to lead us to do what is sinful. Let us never decline a good work, never do a bad one. We ought to try all advice, and to reject what is contrary to the word of God. Every man should study to be consistent. Should I, a professed Christian, called to be a saint, a child of God, a member of Christ, a temple of the Holy Ghost, should I be covetous, sensual, proud, or envious? Should I yield to impatience, discontent, or anger? Should I be slothful, unbelieving, or unmerciful? What effects will such conduct have upon others? All that God has done for us, or by us, or given to us, should lead us to watchfulness, self-denial, and diligence. Next to the sinfulness of sin, we should dread the scandal.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Would go into the temple to save his life - Rather "could go into the temple and live." For a layman to enter the sanctuary was a capital offence (see Numbers 18:7).

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

10-14. Afterward I came unto the house of Shemaiah, &c.—This man was the son of a priest, who was an intimate and confidential friend of Nehemiah. The young man claimed to be endowed with the gift of prophecy. Having been secretly bribed by Sanballat, he, in his pretended capacity of prophet, told Nehemiah that his enemies were that night to make an attempt upon his life. He advised him, at the same time, to consult his safety by concealing himself in the sanctuary, a crypt which, from its sanctity, was strong and secure. But the noble-minded governor determined at all hazards to remain at his post, and not bring discredit on the cause of God and religion by his unworthy cowardice in leaving the temple and city unprotected. This plot, together with a secret collusion between the enemy and the nobles of Judah who were favorably disposed towards the bad Samaritan in consequence of his Jewish connections (Ne 6:18), the undaunted courage and vigilance of Nehemiah were enabled, with the blessing of God, to defeat, and the erection of the walls thus built in troublous times (Da 9:25) was happily completed (Ne 6:15) in the brief space of fifty-two days. So rapid execution, even supposing some parts of the old wall standing, cannot be sufficiently accounted for, except by the consideration that the builders labored with the ardor of religious zeal, as men employed in the work of God.

Matthew Poole's Commentary

Should such a man as I flee; I the chief governor, upon whose presence, and counsel, and conduct the very life and being of the whole city and nation in a great measure depends; I who have professed such resolution, and courage, and confidence in God; I who have had such eminent experience of God’s gracious and powerful assistances, of his calling me to this employment, and carrying me through it when our danger was greater than now it is. Shall I now dishonour God and religion, and betray the people and city of God by my cowardice? God forbid. This is not the counsel of God, nor of a friend; but a plot of mine enemies, as it here follows.

Who is there, that, being as I am, would go into the temple to save his life? as if I had an evil cause or conscience; as if I were a malefactor, who fled thither for refuge; as if I durst not trust God with my preservation except I went into the temple, which it is not lawful for me, being no priest, to do.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

And I said, should such a man as I flee?.... The king's commissioner, who had the conducting and management of the whole affair of building the wall of Jerusalem, on whom it wholly depended; for, should he absent himself, the people would depart and leave their work, and the city and wall be left defenceless, which was what was hoped for from this scheme; and who had expressed such confidence in God, and had had such success:

and who is there, that, being as I am; in such a post, and in such circumstances, and on whom so much depended:

would go into the temple to save his life? or where there was little reason to believe it would be preserved long, should he take such a step as that:

I will not go in; as being neither lawful, nor honourable, nor safe.

Geneva Study Bible

And I said, {f} Should such a man as I flee? and who is there, that, being as I am, would go into the temple to save his life? I will not go in.

(f) He did not doubt that God was able to preserve him and knew that if he had obeyed this counsel he would have discouraged all the people: thus God gives power to his to resist false prophecies, though they seem to have great probability.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 11. - Should such a man as I flee? i.e. Should a man in my position, the head of the state, bound to set an example to others, fly from danger and hide myself? Surely not. And who is there, that, being as I am, would go into the temple to save his life? Rather, "could go into the temple and live?" Dean Stanley compares Becket's noble words, - "I will not turn the cathedral into a castle," - but the parallel is not close. Nehemiah feels, not that he would profane the temple by making it into a place of refuge, but that he would break the law by simply entering it. Ewald shows that he has caught the point of the objection when he says, "Nehemiah thought that, as a layman, he must not break the Divine command by entering the sanctuary itself" ('History of Israel,' vol. 5. p. 157). Nehemiah 6:11

Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament

Nehemiah, however, was not to be alarmed thereby, but exclaimed: Should such a man as I flee? and what man like me could go into the holy place and live? I will not go in. וחי is the perf. with Vav consecutive: that he may live. This word is ambiguous; it may mean: to save his life, or: and save his life, not, expiate such a transgression of the law with his life. Probably Nehemiah used it in the latter sense, having in mind the command, Numbers 18:7, that the stranger that cometh nigh shall be put to death.