Nehemiah 6:8 (WEB)

Passage

Then I sent to him, saying, “There are no such things done as you say, but you imagine them out of your own heart.”

Nearby Context

Nehemiah 6:6 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.

Nehemiah 6:7 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 us take counsel together.”

Nehemiah 6:8 Then I sent to him, saying, “There are no such things done as you say, but you imagine them out of your own heart.”

Nehemiah 6:9 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.

Nehemiah 6:10 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 us shut the doors of the temple; for they will come to kill you. Yes, in the night will they come to kill you.”

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "sent", "saying", "such", "things", "done", "imagine", and "heart". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "sent" and "saying", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 7's "You have also appointed prophets to proclaim..." into verse 9's "For they all would have made us...", so "sent" and "saying" belong inside that flow. In Nehemiah context, the local focus is covenant, worship, and faithfulness.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "sent" and "saying" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.