Nehemiah 2:1-10

Nehemiah Sent to Jerusalem

1 During the month of Nisan in the twentieth year^[a] of King Artaxerxes, when wine was set before him, I took the wine and gave it to the king. I had never been sad in his presence,

2 so the king said to me, "Why are you^[b] sad, when you aren't sick? This is nothing but sadness of heart." I was overwhelmed with fear

3 and replied to the king, "May the king live forever! Why should I^[c] not be sad when the city where my ancestors are buried lies in ruins and its gates have been destroyed by fire?"

4 Then the king asked me, "What is your request?" So I prayed to the God of heaven

5 and answered the king, "If it pleases the king, and if your servant has found favor with you, send me to Judah and to the city where my ancestors are buried,^[d] so that I may rebuild it."

6 The king, with the queen seated beside him, asked me, "How long will your journey take, and when will you return?" So I gave him a definite time, and it pleased the king to send me.

7 I also said to the king: "If it pleases the king, let me have letters [written] to the governors of the region west of the Euphrates River, so that they will grant me [safe] passage until I reach Judah.

8 And [let me have] a letter [written] to Asaph, keeper of the king's forest, so that he will give me timber to rebuild the gates of the temple's fortress,^[e] the city wall, and the home where I will live."^[f] The king granted my [requests], for I was graciously strengthened by my God.^[g]

9 I went to the governors of the region west of the Euphrates and gave them the king's letters. The king had also sent officers of the infantry and cavalry with me.

10 When Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite official heard that someone had come to seek the well-being of the Israelites, they were greatly displeased.

Nehemiah 2:1-10 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO NEHEMIAH 2

Nehemiah being sorrowful in the king's presence, the reason of it was asked by the king, which he declared, and then took the opportunity to request of the king that he might be sent to Jerusalem to rebuild it, which was granted him, Ne 2:1-8, upon which he set out, and came to Jerusalem, to the great grief of the enemies of Israel, Ne 2:9-11 and after he had been three days in Jerusalem, he privately took a survey of it, to see what condition it was in, unknown to the rulers there, Ne 2:12-16, whom he afterwards exhorted to rise up and build the wall of the city, which they immediately set about, Ne 2:17,18 not regarding the scoffs and taunts of their enemies, Ne 2:19,20.

Footnotes

• [a]. March-April 445 (or 444) b.c.
• [b]. Lit Why is your face
• [c]. Lit my face
• [d]. Lit city, the house of the graves of my fathers,
• [e]. Neh 7:2
• [f]. Lit enter
• [g]. Lit for the gracious hand of my God was on me