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Biblical History Atlas

Historical event dossier · Political

Plots against Nehemiah: Ono, the open letter, Shemaiah (Neh 6:1–14)

Preliminary researchRevision 1Last reviewed: not reviewed

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Biblical references

Text: World English Bible (public domain). The ESV and NKJV are the preferred study translations and are referenced, not reproduced.

Nehemiah 6:1–14Narration
1 Now when it was reported to Sanballat, Tobiah, Geshem the Arabian, and to the rest of our enemies that I had built the wall, and that there was no breach left in it (though even to that time I had not set up the doors in the gates), 2 Sanballat and Geshem sent to me, saying, “Come! Let’s meet together in the villages in the plain of Ono.” But they intended to harm me. 3 I sent messengers to them, saying, “I am doing a great work, so that I can’t come down. Why should the work cease while I leave it and come down to you?” 4 They sent to me four times like this; and I answered them the same way. 5 Then Sanballat sent his servant to me the same way the fifth time with an open letter in his hand, 6 in which was written, “It is reported among the nations, and Gashmu says it, that you and the Jews intend to rebel. Because of that, you are building the wall. You would be their king, according to these words. 7 You have also appointed prophets to proclaim of you at Jerusalem, saying, ‘There is a king in Judah!’ Now it will be reported to the king according to these words. Come now therefore, and let’s take counsel together.” 8 Then I sent to him, saying, “There are no such things done as you say, but you imagine them out of your own heart.” 9 For they all would have made us afraid, saying, “Their hands will be weakened from the work, that it not be done.” But now, strengthen my hands. 10 I went to the house of Shemaiah the son of Delaiah the son of Mehetabel, who was shut in at his home; and he said, “Let us meet together in God’s house, within the temple, and let’s shut the doors of the temple; for they will come to kill you. Yes, in the night they will come to kill you.” 11 I said, “Should a man like me flee? Who is there that, being such as I, would go into the temple to save his life? I will not go in.” 12 I discerned, and behold, God had not sent him, but he pronounced this prophecy against me. Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him. 13 He was hired so that I would be afraid, do so, and sin, and that they might have material for an evil report, that they might reproach me. 14 “Remember, my God, Tobiah and Sanballat according to these their works, and also the prophetess Noadiah and the rest of the prophets that would have put me in fear.”

Biblical account

Layer: Biblical text

When the wall had no breaches left but the doors were not yet hung, Sanballat and Geshem four times invited Nehemiah to meet in the plain of Ono; Sanballat then sent an open letter alleging, on Gashmu's word, that the Jews planned rebellion and that Nehemiah wanted to be king, with prophets to proclaim him; Shemaiah, hired by Tobiah and Sanballat, urged him to shut himself in the temple; Nehemiah refused and asked God to remember Tobiah, Sanballat and the prophetess Noadiah.

Historical overview

Layer: Historical reconstruction · Period: September 445 BC (before 25 Elul)

An accusation of rebellion to the Persian court was a serious threat (cf. Ezra 4:12–16).[1]

Kingdoms: Achaemenid Persian Empire, Kingdom of Judah

Date and chronology derivation

Ranges are computed by the project's deterministic chronology engine from the biblical statements and each model's reign anchors. They are reconstructions, not independent dates.

446 BC – 444 BC

Model-independent (applies under every chronology model) · precision: undated

How this range was derived

Earliest bound

  1. “In the month Nisan, in the twentieth year of Artaxerxes the king” — Artaxerxes sends Nehemiah to rebuild Jerusalem, Nisan of his twentieth year (Neh 2:1–8) in regnal year reign of Artaxerxes I (Longimanus) (year 20) [reckoned accession, nisan new year] (Nehemiah 2:1)[2]Assumption: Nisan reckoning: year 20 began 1 Nisan = 13 Apr 445 (Parker & Dubberstein table). Neh 1:1 places Chislev "in the twentieth year" before Nisan of the twentieth year, which suggests an autumn (Tishri) year count; on that count the Nisan in question is spring 444. Not modelled here; recorded as a competing reconstruction.
  2. “Then I came to the governors beyond the River … So I came to Jerusalem, and was there three days” — Nehemiah arrives, inspects the walls by night and calls for rebuilding (Neh 2:9–20) after Artaxerxes sends Nehemiah to rebuild Jerusalem, Nisan of his twentieth year (Neh 2:1–8) (Nehemiah 2:9–11)
  3. “when Sanballat heard that we were building the wall” — Mockery, threats and the armed builders (Neh 4) after Nehemiah arrives, inspects the walls by night and calls for rebuilding (Neh 2:9–20) (Nehemiah 4:1)
  4. “when … I had built the wall, and there was no breach left in it” — Plots against Nehemiah: Ono, the open letter, Shemaiah (Neh 6:1–14) after Mockery, threats and the armed builders (Neh 4) (Nehemiah 6:1)

Latest bound

  1. “So the wall was finished in the twenty-fifth day of Elul, in fifty-two days” — The wall completed on 25 Elul after fifty-two days (Neh 6:15–19) in regnal year reign of Artaxerxes I (Longimanus) (year 20) [reckoned accession, nisan new year] (Nehemiah 6:15)[2, 3]Assumption: The year is not stated; the twentieth year of 2:1 is meant (Keil). On Parker & Dubberstein's table Elul of year 20 began 8 September 445, so 25 Elul = 2 October 445 and the 52 days began about 12 August (Keil: 3 Ab).
  2. “though I had not at that time set up the doors in the gates” — Plots against Nehemiah: Ono, the open letter, Shemaiah (Neh 6:1–14) before The wall completed on 25 Elul after fifty-two days (Neh 6:15–19) (Nehemiah 6:1)

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What else was happening? (model-independent)

  • Daniel's refusal of the king's food and the ten-day test (Dan 1:8–16): 606 BC – ?
  • Nebuchadnezzar's golden image on the plain of Dura (Dan 3:1–7): 603 BC – ?
  • Nebuchadnezzar's decree honouring the God of the three Judeans (Dan 3:28–30): 603 BC – ?
  • The refusal of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego and the fiery furnace (Dan 3:8–27): 603 BC – ?
  • The thirty-day decree and Daniel in the lions' den (Dan 6:4–23): 539 BC – ?
  • Darius appoints 120 satraps and three chief officials (Dan 6:1–3, 28): 539 BC – ?
  • The accusers punished; Darius's decree honouring the God of Daniel (Dan 6:24–27): 539 BC – ?
  • Artaxerxes sends Nehemiah to rebuild Jerusalem, Nisan of his twentieth year (Neh 2:1–8): 446 BC – 444 BC
  • Artaxerxes I (Longimanus) (reign): 465 BC – 423 BC
  • Hanani's report at Susa and Nehemiah's prayer (Chislev, Artaxerxes's 20th year): 447 BC – 445 BC
  • Gedaliah governs from Mizpah and is assassinated (2 Kgs 25:22–26): 589 BC – ?
  • Accusations to Ahasuerus and the Rehum–Shimshai letter to Artaxerxes; the city's rebuilding stopped (Ezra 4:6–23): 537 BC – ?
  • Nehemiah arrives, inspects the walls by night and calls for rebuilding (Neh 2:9–20): 446 BC – 444 BC
  • The rebuilding of Jerusalem's wall and gates, section by section (Neh 3): 446 BC – 444 BC
  • Mockery, threats and the armed builders (Neh 4): 446 BC – 444 BC
  • The debt crisis and the remission of pledges (Neh 5:1–13): 446 BC – 423 BC
  • The wall completed on 25 Elul after fifty-two days (Neh 6:15–19): 446 BC – 444 BC
  • Nehemiah's first governorship: twelve years, 20th–32nd year of Artaxerxes (445–433 BC): 446 BC – 444 BC
  • Jerusalem guarded under Hanani and Hananiah; the registry of the first returnees found (Neh 7:1–5): 446 BC – ?
  • Ezra reads the Law on the first day of the seventh month (Neh 7:73b–8:12): 446 BC – 444 BC
  • The Feast of Booths kept "as it is written" (Neh 8:13–18): 446 BC – 444 BC
  • The sealed covenant to keep the law and support the temple (Neh 9:38–10:39): 446 BC – 444 BC
  • The fast of the twenty-fourth day and the Levites' confession (Neh 9): 446 BC – 444 BC
  • Jerusalem repopulated: one in ten by lot (Neh 11): 446 BC – ?
  • The dedication of the wall of Jerusalem (Neh 12:27–13:3): 446 BC – 423 BC
  • The priestly and Levitical registers to the days of Jaddua (Neh 12:1–26): 446 BC – ?
  • The first "burden" of Zechariah 9–11 (undated oracle collection): 518 BC – ?
  • The second "burden" of Zechariah 12–14 (undated oracle collection): 518 BC – ?
  • Malachi's disputations with priests and people (Mal 1–4; undated, mid-fifth century BC): 465 BC – 423 BC
  • The institution of Purim; Mordecai second to the king (Esth 9:20–10:3): 474 BC – ?

Ancient and modern geography

Location confidence assumes the event as described. Whether it occurred is assessed in the claims below.

PlaceConnection to this eventLocation identification
JerusalemJerusalem (Old City / City of David)JerusalemLocation confidence: certainPleiades representative point: certain[4]

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Claims, evidence and classifications

Each claim is classified on its own. A classification describes the evidence for that specific claim, not for the event as a whole.

Sanballat accused Nehemiah of planning rebellion and kingship.

No independent corroboration foundMachine-proposedExternal evidence

Known only from the memoir.

Context

  • The open letter as a public threat.[1]Strength: indirect·on 6:5–7·Claim checked

Research date 2026-10-13

Evidence by type

The same evidence regrouped by kind of source. Each item names the claims it bears on.

Archaeological evidence

None recorded for this event.

Scientific findings

None recorded for this event.

Ancient documents

None recorded for this event.

Modern news and announcements

None recorded for this event.

Reference works and summaries

None recorded for this event.

Related passages and events

FromRelationshipToBasis
this eventFollowed byhigh · Biblical textThe wall completed on 25 Elul after fifty-two days (Neh 6:15–19)The wall was nevertheless completed.
this eventThematic parallelmedium · Biblical textEzra 4:12–16Accusations of rebellion to the Persian king, as in the earlier letter.

Prophetic relationships

No prophecy or proposed-fulfillment relationships have been recorded for this event.

Commentary references

Layer: Interpretation. This is commentary, not historical evidence.

Guzik notes that only priests could enter the temple building, so Shemaiah's advice was a trap (cf. Uzziah).[1]

Unanswered questions and research gaps

  • Geshem/Gashmu of Qedar in inscriptions not researched.
  • The extra-biblical attestation of a Geshem/Gashmu of Qedar was not researched in this unit.

Research process

2 logged searches
DateQueryWhereUseful
2026-10-13Enduring Word Nehemiah 6web fetch1
2026-10-13Keil and Ryle on 6:6web fetch1

Sources

  1. 1.
    Guzik, David. Nehemiah 6 — Enduring Word Bible Commentary. Enduring Word. enduringword.comClaim checkedTheological commentaryInterpretive resource — not historical corroboration.Verification log
  2. 2.
    Parker, Richard A., Dubberstein, Waldo H.. Babylonian Chronology 626 B.C.–A.D. 45 (SAOC 24). University of Chicago Press (Oriental Institute). archive.orgClaim checkedAcademic monographRead through the Internet Archive OCR text of the Oriental Institute PDF; OCR has digit errors (e.g. "589" for 539) checked against context. The 1956 revised edition was not consulted.Verification log
  3. 3.
    Keil, C. F., Taylor, Sophia (trans.). Biblical Commentary on the Books of Ezra, Nehemiah, and Esther (Clark's Foreign Theological Library). T. & T. Clark, Edinburgh, 1873. archive.orgClaim checkedScholarly commentaryRead through the Internet Archive OCR text.Verification log
  4. 4.
    Pleiades contributors. Ierusalem/Hierosolyma — Pleiades place 687928. Pleiades (pleiades.stoa.org). pleiades.stoa.orgClaim checkedInstitutional databaseRepresentative point read from the Pleiades JSON record: lon 35.234978, lat 31.7771895.Verification log
  5. 5.
    Ryle, Herbert Edward. The Books of Ezra and Nehemiah, with Introduction, Notes and Maps (Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges). Cambridge University Press, 1893. archive.orgClaim checkedScholarly commentaryRead through the Internet Archive OCR text.Verification log