Nehemiah 2:8

_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._ Timber to make beams for the gates of the palace which appertained to the house, х_ HABIYRAAH _ (H1002)] - of the fortress, which was close to the temple. This word was changed into the Greek Baris, which, as we learn from Josephus, was the name of the tower, afterward called Antonia, on the north side of the temple area ('Jewish Wars,' b. 5:, ch. 5:, sec. 8). ACCORDING TO THE GOOD HAND OF MY GOD UPON ME. The piety of Nehemiah appears in every circumstance. The conception of this patriotic design, the favourable disposition of the king, and the success of the undertaking, are all ascr...

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 2:8. _ASAPH THE KEEPER OF THE KING'S FOREST_] הפרדס _hapardes_ of the _paradise_ of the king. This I believe is originally a _Persian_ word; it frequently occurs in Arabic, [Arabic] _ferdoos_, and in Greek, παραδεισος, and in both signifies a _pleasant garden, vineyard, pleasure garden_, and what we call a _paradise_. Above the hall of audience, in the imperial palace at Dehli, the following Persian couplet is inscribed:- [Persian] [Persian] "If there be a _paradise_ on the face of the earth, this is it, this is it, this is it....

THE KING’S FOREST - Rather, park. The word used פרדס _pardês_; compare παράδεισος _paradeisos_, found only here, in Ecclesiastes 2:5, and in Song of Solomon 4:13), is of Persian, or at any rate of Aryan origin. The Persians signified by pariyadeza a walled enclosure, ornamented with trees, either planted or of natural growth, and containing numerous wild animals. The “paradise” here mentioned must have been in the neighborhood of Jerusalem, and may have corresponded to the earlier “gardens of Solomon.” THE PALACE - Rather, “the fortress.” The word in the original has the double meaning of “palace” and “fortress,” the fa

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

FOREST. park. Hebrew. _pardes._. Persian word which occurs only here, Ecclesiastes 2:5, and Song of Solomon 4:13, where it is rendered "orchards". Septuagint renders it "paradise", which occurs twenty-eight times: (nine times. Eden, nineteen times. garden, Hebrew. _gan_.) WALL. Some codices, with one early printed edition, Syriac, and Vulgate, read "walls" (plural) These walls are the main subject of Nehemiah's section of the joint book. THAT. SHALL ENTER INTO: or, whereunto. shall come. HAND. Figure of speech _Anthropopatheia._ Also put by Figure of speech _Metonymy_ for God's purpose (Acts 4:28;...

_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

WHICH APPERTAINED TO THE HOUSE— _Which appertained to the house of the Lord._ Houbigant....