In chapter 5 the people begin to complain that they are being taken advantage of by the rich, and Nehemiah needs to address the greed of the wealthy. In today’s reading, Nehemiah’s enemies try a number of tricks to intimidate Nehemiah. None of them work, and the walls are completed.
Nehemiah demonstrates the value of focus. People become easily distracted from the task at hand over worry or become involved in things that will compromise someone’s character.