Nehemiah 6:18 (YLT)

Passage

for many in Judah are sworn to him, for he <FI>is<Fi> son-in-law to Shechaniah son of Arah, and Jehohanan his son hath taken the daughter of Meshullam son of Berechiah;

Nearby Context

Nehemiah 6:16 and it cometh to pass, when all our enemies have heard, and all the nations who are round about us see, that they fall greatly in their own eyes, and know that by our God hath this work been done.

Nehemiah 6:17 Also, in those days the freemen of Judah are multiplying their letters going unto Tobiah, and those of Tobiah are coming in unto them;

Nehemiah 6:18 for many in Judah are sworn to him, for he <FI>is<Fi> son-in-law to Shechaniah son of Arah, and Jehohanan his son hath taken the daughter of Meshullam son of Berechiah;

Nehemiah 6:19 also, his good deeds they have been saying before me, and my words they have been taking out to him; letters hath Tobiah sent to make me afraid.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "judah", "sworn", "son-in-law", "shechaniah", "arah", "jehohanan", "hath", and "taken". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "judah" and "sworn", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 17's "Also in those days the freemen of..." into verse 19's "also his good deeds they have been...", so "judah" and "sworn" 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 "judah" and "sworn" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.