Lectionary Calendar
Tuesday, June 17th, 2025
the Week of Proper 6 / Ordinary 11
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Read the Bible

Christian Standard Bible ®

Nehemiah 6:11

But I said, “Should a man like me run away? How can someone like me enter the temple and live? I will not go.”

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Bribery;   Courage;   Decision;   Temple;   Tobiah;   Thompson Chain Reference - Courage;   Courage-Fear;   Nehemiah;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Boldness, Holy;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Shemaiah;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Nehemiah;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - David;   Nehemiah;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Geshem;   Nehemiah;   Shemaiah;   Wages;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Nehemiah;   Shemaiah;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Sanballat ;   Tobiah ;   The Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance And Dictionary - Sanballat;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Jerusalem;   Sanballat;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Mehetabel;   Prophecy;   Shemaiah;   Zechariah, Book of;  

Devotionals:

- Every Day Light - Devotion for January 12;  

Parallel Translations

Hebrew Names Version
I said, Should such a man as I flee? and who is there that, being such as I, would go into the temple to save his life? I will not go in.
King James Version
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.
English Standard Version
But I said, "Should such a man as I run away? And what man such as I could go into the temple and live? I will not go in."
New Century Version
But I said, "Should a man like me run away? Should I run for my life into the Temple? I will not go."
New English Translation
But I replied, "Should a man like me run away? Would someone like me flee to the temple in order to save his life? I will not go!"
Amplified Bible
But I said, "Should a man like me flee [in fear and hide]? Should someone like me enter the temple [for sanctuary] to save his life? I will not go."
New American Standard Bible
But I said, "Should a man like me flee? And who is there like me who would go into the temple to save his own life? I will not go in."
World English Bible
I said, Should such a man as I flee? and who is there that, being such as I, would go into the temple to save his life? I will not go in.
Geneva Bible (1587)
Then I said, Should such a man as I, flee? Who is he, being as I am, that would go into the Temple to liue? I will not goe in.
Legacy Standard Bible
But I said, "Should a man like me flee? And could one such as I go into the temple just to live? I will not go in."
Berean Standard Bible
But I replied, "Should a man like me run away? Should one like me go into the temple to save his own life? I will not go!"
Contemporary English Version
I answered, "Why should someone like me have to run and hide in the temple to save my life? I won't go!"
Complete Jewish Bible
I replied, "Should a man like me run away? Can a man like me go into the temple to save his life? I refuse to go in."
Darby Translation
And I said, Should such a man as I flee? and who is there, that, being as I am, could go into the temple, and live? I will not go in.
Easy-to-Read Version
But I said to Shemaiah, "Should a man like me run away? You know that an ordinary man like me cannot go into the Holy Place without being put to death. I will not go!"
George Lamsa Translation
And I said, Should I flee to men like you? God forbid that I should flee and enter into the temple!
Good News Translation
I answered, "I'm not the kind of person that runs and hides. Do you think I would try to save my life by hiding in the Temple? I won't do it."
Lexham English Bible
But I said, "Should a man like me run away? And would a man like me go into the temple so that he can save his life? I will not go in!"
Literal Translation
And I said, Should such a man as I flee? And who being as I am would go into the temple and live? I will not go in.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
But I sayde: Shulde soch a ma flye? Shulde soch a ma as I am, go in to ye teple, to saue his life? I wyl not go in.
American Standard Version
And I said, Should such a man as I flee? and who is there, that, being such as I, would go into the temple to save his life? I will not go in.
Bible in Basic English
And I said, Am I the sort of man to go in flight? what man, in my position, would go into the Temple to keep himself safe? I will not go in.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
And I saide: should any such man as I flee? Who is, that being as I am, wyll go into the temple to saue his life? I wil not go in.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
And I said: 'Should such a man as I flee? and who is there, that, being such as I, could go into the temple and live? I will not go in.'
King James Version (1611)
And I said, Should such a man as I, flee? and who is there, that being as I am, would goe into the Temple to saue his life? I will not goe in.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And I said, Who is the man that shall enter into the house, that he may live?
English Revised Version
And I said, Should such a man as I flee? and who is there, that, being such as I, would go into the temple to save his life? I will not go in.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And Y seide, Whether ony man lijk me fledde, and who as Y schal entre in to the temple, and schal lyue?
Update Bible Version
And I said, Should a man such as I flee? and who is there, that, being such as I, would go into the temple to save his life? I will not go in.
Webster's Bible Translation
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.
New King James Version
And I said, "Should such a man as I flee? And who is there such as I who would go into the temple to save his life? I will not go in!"
New Living Translation
But I replied, "Should someone in my position run from danger? Should someone in my position enter the Temple to save his life? No, I won't do it!"
New Life Bible
But I said, "Should a man like me run away? And could a man such as I go into the house of God to save his life? I will not go in."
New Revised Standard
But I said, "Should a man like me run away? Would a man like me go into the temple to save his life? I will not go in!"
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Then said I, Should, such a man as I, flee? Who then, being such as I, would enter the temple to save his life? I will not enter.
Douay-Rheims Bible
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.
Revised Standard Version
But I said, "Should such a man as I flee? And what man such as I could go into the temple and live? I will not go in."
Young's Literal Translation
And I say, `A man such as I -- doth he flee? and who as I, that doth go in unto the temple, and live? -- I do not go in.'
THE MESSAGE
I said, "Why would a man like me run for cover? And why would a man like me use The Temple as a hideout? I won't do it."
New American Standard Bible (1995)
But I said, "Should a man like me flee? And could one such as I go into the temple to save his life? I will not go in."

Contextual Overview

10I went to the house of Shemaiah son of Delaiah, son of Mehetabel, who was restricted to his house. He said: 11But I said, “Should a man like me run away? How can someone like me enter the temple and live? I will not go.” 12I realized that God had not sent him, because of the prophecy he spoke against me. Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him. 13He was hired, so that I would be intimidated, do as he suggested, sin, and get a bad reputation, in order that they could discredit me. 14My God, remember Tobiah and Sanballat for what they have done, and also the prophetess Noadiah and the other prophets who wanted to intimidate me.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Should such: Nehemiah 6:3, 1 Samuel 19:5, Job 4:3-6, Psalms 11:1, Psalms 11:2, Psalms 112:6, Psalms 112:8, Proverbs 28:1, Isaiah 10:18, Luke 13:31-33, Acts 8:1, Acts 20:24, Acts 21:13, Hebrews 11:27

would go: Nehemiah 6:9, Numbers 32:7-9, Ecclesiastes 10:1, Philippians 2:17, Philippians 2:30

Reciprocal: Genesis 39:9 - none 1 Samuel 22:4 - in the hold Esther 4:14 - for such a time Psalms 27:5 - secret Proverbs 27:8 - man Jeremiah 37:12 - went Daniel 6:10 - as he John 18:4 - Whom John 20:19 - when

Cross-References

Genesis 6:1
When mankind began to multiply on the earth and daughters were born to them,
Genesis 6:2
the sons of God saw that the daughters of mankind were beautiful, and they took any they chose as wives for themselves.
Genesis 7:1
Then the Lord said to Noah, “Enter the ark, you and all your household, for I have seen that you alone are righteous before me in this generation.
Genesis 10:9
He was a powerful hunter in the sight of the Lord. That is why it is said, “Like Nimrod, a powerful hunter in the sight of the Lord.”
Genesis 13:13
(Now the men of Sodom were evil, sinning immensely against the Lord.)
2 Chronicles 34:27
because your heart was tender and you humbled yourself before God when you heard his words against this place and against its inhabitants, and because you humbled yourself before me, and you tore your clothes and wept before me, I myself have heard’—this is the Lord’s declaration.
Psalms 11:5
The Lord examines the righteous,but he hates the wickedand those who love violence.
Psalms 55:9
Lord, confuse and confound their speech,for I see violence and strife in the city;
Psalms 140:11
Do not let a slanderer stay in the land.Let evil relentlessly hunt down a violent man.
Isaiah 60:18
Violence will never again be heard of in your land;devastation and destructionwill be gone from your borders.You will call your walls Salvationand your city gates Praise.

Gill's Notes on the 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.

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).

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Nehemiah 6:11. Should such a man as I flee? — Shall I, who am governor of the people, appointed both by God and the king, shall I betray my trust, and leave the flock without a shepherd? Shall I be a traitor, and abandon the office to which I am appointed? - No! Who, in my situation, with such responsibility, and such prospects, would go into the temple to save his life? I will not: I will stand at my post, and be ready to receive my enemies whensoever they come; so let Sanballat, Tobiah, and Geshem look to themselves.


 
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