Nehemiah 2:6

_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._ The queen also sitting by him. Since the Persian monarchs did not admit their wives to be present at their state festivals, this must have been a private occasion. The queen referred to was probably Esther, whose presence would tend greatly to embolden Nehemiah in stating his request; and through her influence, powerfully exerted, it may be supposed, also by her sympathy with the patriotic design, his petition was granted, to go as deputy-governor of Judea, accompanied by a military guard, and invested with full powers to obtain materials for the building in Jerusalem, as well as to get all requisite aid in promoting his enterprise. I SET HIM A TIME. Considering the great despatch made in raising the walls,...

1-8 Our prayers must be seconded with serious endeavours, else we mock God. We are not limited to certain moments in our addresses to the King of kings, but have liberty to go to him at all times; approaches to the throne of grace are never out of season. But the sense of God's displeasure and the afflictions of his people, are causes of sorrow to the children of God, under which no earthly delights can comfort. The king encouraged Nehemiah to tell his mind. This gave him boldness to speak; much more may the invitation Christ has given us to pray, and the promise that we shall speed, encourage us to come boldly to the throne of grace. Nehemiah prayed to the God of heaven, as infinitely above even this mighty monarch. He lifted up his heart to that God who understands the language of the heart. Nor should we ever engage in any pursuit in which it would be wrong for us thus to seek and ex...

Verse Nehemiah 2:6. _THE QUEEN ALSO SITTING BY HIM_] Who probably forwarded his suit. This was not Esther, as Dean Prideaux supposes, nor perhaps the same Artaxerxes who had taken her to be queen; nor does שגל _shegal_ signify _queen_, but rather harlot or concubine, she who was chief favourite. The Septuagint translate it παλλακη, _harlot_; and properly too. See the introduction. _I SET HIM A TIME._] How long this time was we are not told; it is by no means likely that it was _long_, probably no more than _six_ _months_ or a _year_; after which he either returned, or had his leave of absence _lengthened_; for in the same year we find he was made governor of the Jews, in which office he continued twelve years, viz., from the twentieth to the thirty-second year of Artaxerxes,...

THE QUEEN - Though the Persian kings practiced polygamy, they always had one chief wife, who alone was recognized as “queen.” The chief wife of Longimanus was Damaspia. I SET HIM A TIME - Nehemiah appears to have stayed at Jerusalem twelve years from his first arrival Nehemiah 5:14; but he can scarcely have mentioned so long a term to the king. Probably his leave of absence was prolonged from time to time....

EXPOSITION NEHEMIAH 2:1 IN THE MONTH NISAN. The fourth month after Chisleu, corresponding nearly to our April. How it came about that Nehemiah did not put the king's favour to the proof until more than three months had gone by we can only conjecture. Perhaps the court had been absent from Susa, passing the winter at Babylon, as it sometimes did, and he had not accompanied it. Perhaps, though present at the court, he had not been called on to discharge his office, his turn not having arrived. Possibly, though performing his duties from time to time, he had found no opportunity of unbosoming himself, the king not having noticed his grief. He. may even have done his best to conceal it, for Persian subjects were expected to be perfectly happy in the presence of their king. He had probably formed no plan, but waited in the confident hope that

CHAPTER 2 _ 1. The King's question (Nehemiah 2:1)_ 2. The King's permission (Nehemiah 2:3) 3. The arrival in Jerusalem and the night-ride (Nehemiah 2:9) 4. The resolution to build the wall (Nehemiah 2:17) 5. The ridicule of the enemy, and Nehemiah's answer (Nehemiah 2:19) Nehemiah 2:1. The last sentence of the previous chapter, “For I was the king's cupbearer,” belongs to this chapter. Nehemiah is seen exercising the

NEHEMIAH 1:11 B - NEHEMIAH 2:8. NEHEMIAH RECEIVES PERMISSION FROM ARTAXERXES TO GO TO JERUSALEM AND REBUILD THE CITY WALLS. Nehemiah 1:1. the twentieth year of Artaxerxes: 444 B.C. I HAD NOT BEEN AFORETIME SAD: this cannot be got out of the Heb. which says simply I was not sad; the meaning would appear to be that Nehemiah, knowing as a courtier that it was contrary to usage at court for a royal servant to appear sad in the presence of the king, had determined that he would not offend in this manner even though he had received the bad news about his brethren in Judah; nevertheless, his looks betrayed him in spite of his resolution; hence his words, then I was very sore afraid when the king noticed this. To the bes

THE QUEEN. Hebrew. _ha-shegal_. wife. Occurs only here and in Psalms 45:9; Daniel 5:2; Daniel 5:3; Daniel 5:23. Not. Hebrew word, but borrowed from the Akkadian _sha_. a bride, and _gal =_ great. Used of. foreign queen. Here it would exactly suit "the great bride" or "foreign (Jewish) queen", Esther. (See notes on the Chronological Structure of Ezra-Nehemiah, p. 618.) Esther is introduced here (parenthetically) because of her sympathy and interest, which Nehemiah so greatly needed at this juncture, as Mordecai had needed it before (Esther 4:14). sitti

_b_ 73 _a_. The Register of those who returned with Zerubbabel = Ezra 2:1-70 _a register of the genealogy_ R.V. THE BOOK. _of them which came up at the first_ The only natural explanation of these words is that Nehemiah found in the archives of Jerusalem the list of those that accompanied Zerubbabel from Babylon. This seems to be conclusively proved (_a_) by the words in Nehemiah 2:5, -I found," -who came up at the first," -found written therein," and Nehemiah 2:7, -who came with Zerubbabel," (_b_) by the position of the parallel extract in Ezra 2:1-70. Nehemiah recognises the national importance

AND I SET HIM A TIME— How long this was is not certain. It is said, indeed, that he was governor of the land of Judah for twelve years, chap. Nehemiah 5:14 Nehemiah 13:6. But, considering what haste he made for dispatching the building of the walls, which he finished in fifty-two days, the leave that he asked might be but for a year, or perhaps half so long; after which time, it is likely, he returned to Shushan according to his promise; but some time after was sent back again by the king (who found his presence there serviceable, or perhaps necessary for the better regulation of that province), to be his governor for twelve years. REFLECTIONS.—1. The king, perceiving the meaning of Nehemiah's sorrows, and his fear to ask, kindly bids him make his request. _Note;_ Christ our king has gi