Nehemiah 2:9

the governors beyond the river The governors of the provinces W. of the Euphrates. According to Josephus the chief governor of Syria, Phœnicia and Samaria was Adæus (Ant.XI. 5. 6). The statement that Nehemiah went to the various -governors beyond the river" may indicate the line of his journey, of which we are told nothing. The Compiler for brevity's sake has here condensed -the Memoirs of Nehemiah," omitting whatever was not directly connected with the purpose of his history. Nehemiah would journey to Babylon, and from Babylon probably to Hamath and Damascus, which as the most important cities in Syria would be the residences of -governors." From Damascus he either journeyed along the E. of the Jordan, crossing it at Jericho, or he crossed it by the usual fords south of the Lake of Galilee and visited Samaria on his way to Jerusalem. At Samaria there may very possibly have resided a Persian officer (cf. Nehemiah 4:2). If Nehemiah took Samaria on his way to Jerusalem, this would account for his mention of Sanballat and Tobiah (Nehemiah 2:10) before the mention of his arrival at Jerusalem (Nehemiah 2:11).

had sent … with me R.V. had sent with me.… As the king's commissioner Nehemiah was attended by an armed retinue. These royal soldiers placed at his disposal would greatly strengthen the independence of his position at Jerusalem. Nehemiah's progress as governor with an armed escort is in striking contrast to the similar journey of Ezra, who was ashamed to ask for military protection for his large and unarmed company. (Ezra 8:22.)