8 I sent him this reply: "Nothing like what you are saying is happening; you are just making it up out of your head."
8 Then I sent unto him, saying, There are no such things done as thou sayest, but thou feignest them out of thine own heart.
8 Then I sent to him, saying, "No such things as you say have been done, for you are inventing them out of your own mind."
8 I sent him back this: "There's nothing to what you're saying. You've made it all up."
8 Then I sent to him, saying, "No such things as you say are being done, but you invent them in your own heart."
8 I replied, "There is no truth in any part of your story. You are making up the whole thing."
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Nehemiah 6:8
Commentary on Nehemiah 6:1-9
(Read Nehemiah 6:1-9)
Let those who are tempted to idle merry meetings by vain companions, thus answer the temptation, We have work to do, and must not neglect it. We must never suffer ourselves to be overcome, by repeated urgency, to do anything sinful or imprudent; but when attacked with the same temptation, must resist it with the same reason and resolution. It is common for that which is desired only by the malicious, to be falsely represented by them as desired by the many. But Nehemiah knew at what they aimed, he not only denied that such things were true, but that they were reported; he was better known than to be thus suspected. We must never omit any known duty for fear it should be misconstrued; but, while we keep a good conscience, let us trust God with our good name. God's people, though loaded with reproach, are not really fallen so low in reputation as some would have them thought to be. Nehemiah lifted up his heart to Heaven in a short prayer. When, in our Christian work and warfare, we enter upon any service or conflict, this is a good prayer, I have such a duty to do, such a temptation to grapple with; now, therefore, O God, strengthen my hands. Every temptation to draw us from duty, should quicken us the more to duty.