Then sent Sanballat his servant unto me in like manner the fifth time with an open letter in his hand;
Ver. 5. Then sent Sanballat … the fifth time] So restless are wicked persons; their souls are violently tossed about, as in a sling, 1 Samuel 25:29, Etsi non aliqua docuissent, &c. although they would not be taught by anything, Satan, their taskmaster, urgeth them; and when thou seest them most importunate and outrageous, Scito quia ab accensore suo daemone perurgentur, saith Bernard, know thou that the devil pricks them, and kicks them on to it.
With an open letter in his hand] Not sealed, as the manner is, for secrecy' sake. The Jews use to write upon the back of their letters Nun, Cheth, Shin; that is, Niddui, Cherem, and Shammatha, all sorts of excommunication to him that shall open them. But this letter was purposely sent open, that whoso would might read it ere it came to Nehemiah's hand, and be warned of having a hand in the pretended treason.