Nehemiah Asks the King
Study note
Four months passed between Nehemiah's prayer in chapter 1 and this moment. The month of Nisan was around March or April. It took great courage for Nehemiah to show sadness before the king because showing unhappiness in the king's presence could be seen as an insult and could be punished by death. Nehemiah quickly prayed to God before answering the king's question. The king not only gave permission but also provided official letters and timber for the building project.
1 In the month of Nisan during the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes, I was serving the king his wine. I had never before let my sadness show in his presence. And it came to pass in the month Nisan, in the twentieth year of Artaxerxes the king, that wine was before him: and I took up the wine, and gave it unto the king. Now I had not been beforetime sad in his presence.
2 The king noticed and asked, "Why do you look so gloomy? You are not sick, so something must be weighing heavy on your heart." I was terrified. Wherefore the king said unto me, Why is thy countenance sad, seeing thou art not sick? this is nothing else but sorrow of heart. Then I was very sore afraid,
3 I answered the king, "Long live the king! How could my face not look sad? The city where my ancestors are buried has been reduced to rubble, and its gates have been burned to ashes." And said unto the king, Let the king live for ever: why should not my countenance be sad, when the city, the place of my fathers' sepulchres, lieth waste, and the gates thereof are consumed with fire?
4 The king asked, "What exactly do you want?" I sent up a quick prayer to the God of heaven. Then the king said unto me, For what dost thou make request? So I prayed to the God of heaven.
5 Then I said, "If it pleases the king, and if I have earned your trust, please send me to Judah. I want to go to the city where my ancestors are buried, so I can rebuild it." And I said unto the king, If it please the king, and if thy servant have found favour in thy sight, that thou wouldest send me unto Judah, unto the city of my fathers' sepulchres, that I may build it.
6 With the queen sitting beside him, the king asked, "How long will you be gone? When can I expect you back?" The king was pleased to send me, so I gave him a date. And the king said unto me, (the queen also sitting by him,) For how long shall thy journey be? and when wilt thou return? So it pleased the king to send me; and I set him a time.
7 I also asked, "Could you give me letters for the chiefs west of the Euphrates? Then they will let me pass through their lands on my way to Judah." Moreover I said unto the king, If it please the king, let letters be given me to the governors beyond the river, that they may convey me over till I come into Judah;
8 "And a letter to Asaph, who manages the royal forest, asking him to give me wood for the fortress gates near the temple, for the city wall, and for my own house." The king gave me everything I asked for because God's kind hand was helping me. And a letter unto Asaph the keeper of the king's forest, that he may give me timber to make beams for the gates of the palace which appertained to the house, and for the wall of the city, and for the house that I shall enter into. And the king granted me, according to the good hand of my God upon me.
Nehemiah Arrives in Jerusalem
Study note
Nehemiah arrived in Jerusalem with soldiers and horsemen from the king. Sanballat and Tobiah were local officials who opposed the Jews. They were upset because someone had come to help the people of Israel. Nehemiah waited three days before secretly riding out at night to inspect the walls. He kept his plans quiet so his enemies would not try to stop him before he was ready.
9 I traveled to the governors west of the Euphrates and presented the king's letters. The king had also sent army officers and cavalry to accompany me. Then I came to the governors beyond the river, and gave them the king's letters. Now the king had sent captains of the army and horsemen with me.
10 Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite heard my plan. They were furious that someone came to help Israel. When Sanballat the Horonite, and Tobiah the servant, the Ammonite, heard of it, it grieved them exceedingly that there was come a man to seek the welfare of the children of Israel.
11 I arrived in Jerusalem and spent three days resting. So I came to Jerusalem, and was there three days.
12 Then one night I got up with just a handful of men. I had not breathed a word to anyone about the plan God had put in my heart for Jerusalem. The only animal with us was the one I rode. And I arose in the night, I and some few men with me; neither told I any man what my God had put in my heart to do at Jerusalem: neither was there any beast with me, save the beast that I rode upon.
13 Under cover of darkness, I rode out through the Valley Gate, past the Dragon Spring, and on to the Dung Gate. I carefully studied the broken-down walls and fire-damaged gates of Jerusalem. And I went out by night by the gate of the valley, even before the dragon well, and to the dung port, and viewed the walls of Jerusalem, which were broken down, and the gates thereof were consumed with fire.
14 I continued to the Fountain Gate and the King's Pool, but the path was too narrow for my animal to squeeze through. Then I went on to the gate of the fountain, and to the king's pool: but there was no place for the beast that was under me to pass.
15 So I made my way up through the valley in the dark, examining the wall. Then I doubled back and reentered through the Valley Gate. Then went I up in the night by the brook, and viewed the wall, and turned back, and entered by the gate of the valley, and so returned.
16 The officials had no idea where I had been or what I had been up to. I had not yet said anything to the Jews, the priests, the nobles, the officials, or anyone else who would be involved in the work. And the rulers knew not whither I went, or what I did; neither had I as yet told it to the Jews, nor to the priests, nor to the nobles, nor to the rulers, nor to the rest that did the work.
The People Agree to Rebuild
Study note
After his secret night inspection, Nehemiah gathered the people and shared his plan. He told them how God had been with him and how the king had supported him. The people were encouraged and agreed to start building right away. Sanballat, Tobiah, and a man named Geshem the Arab tried to discourage them by accusing them of rebelling against the king. Nehemiah boldly declared that God would give them success.
17 Then I told them everything: "Look at the mess we are in. Jerusalem is in ruins and its gates are ashes. Let us rebuild the wall so we are no longer a disgrace." Then said I unto them, Ye see the distress that we are in, how Jerusalem lieth waste, and the gates thereof are burned with fire: come, and let us build up the wall of Jerusalem, that we be no more a reproach.
18 I told them how God's hand had been guiding me and what the king had said. They responded, "Let us get started right away!" And they threw themselves into the project with enthusiasm. Then I told them of the hand of my God which was good upon me; as also the king's words that he had spoken unto me. And they said, Let us rise up and build. So they strengthened their hands for this good work.
19 But Sanballat the Horonite, Tobiah the Ammonite official, and Geshem the Arab heard about our plans. They laughed at us and sneered, "What do you think you are doing? Are you staging a rebellion against the king?" But when Sanballat the Horonite, and Tobiah the servant, the Ammonite, and Geshem the Arabian, heard it, they laughed us to scorn, and despised us, and said, What is this thing that ye do? will ye rebel against the king?
20 I shot back, "The God of heaven will make us succeed. We serve him, and we are going to build. But you have no stake in Jerusalem -- no ownership, no claim, and no place of honor here." Then answered I them, and said unto them, The God of heaven, he will prosper us; therefore we his servants will arise and build: but ye have no portion, nor right, nor memorial, in Jerusalem.