Neh 2 | TSK | STEP | Artaxerxes, understanding the cause of Nehemiah's sadness, sends him with letters and commission to Jerusalem. Nehemiah, to the grief of the enemies, comes to Jerusalem. He views secretly the ruins of the walls. He incites the Jews to build. Nisan. the twentieth. I took up.

Nehemiah 2

1 Artaxerxes, understanding the cause of Nehemiah's sadness, sends him with letters and commission to Jerusalem.

9 Nehemiah, to the grief of the enemies, comes to Jerusalem.

12 He views secretly the ruins of the walls.

17 He incites the Jews to build.

Nisan.

the twentieth.

I took up.

Why is thy.

sorrow.

Then I.Probably the king spoke as if he had some suspicion that Nehemiah harboured some bad design, and that his face indicated some conceived treachery, or remorse; and, indeed, the words rendered sad, and sorrow of heart, might be rendered evil, and wickedness of heart.

Let the king.Far from wishing ill to my master, I wish him to live for ever.

1Ki 1:31; Da 2:4; 3:9; 5:10; 6:6,21

the city.

1:3; Ps 102:14; 137:6; La 2:9

the place.

2Ch 21:20; 28:27; 32:33

For what.

1Ki 3:5; Es 5:3,6; 7:2; Mr 10:51

So I prayed.

1:4,11; 2Sa 15:31; Pr 3:6; Php 4:6

If it please.

Ezr 5:17; Es 1:19; 5:8; 7:3; 8:5

and if thy.

Ru 2:13; 2Sa 14:22; Pr 3:4

the queen. Heb. the wife.It was probably Esther who was present at this time, and who seconded Nehemiah's request.

So it pleased.

4; 1:11; Isa 58:12; 61:4; 65:24

I set him a time.It is probable that this time was no more than six months, or a year; after which he either returned, or had his leave of absence lengthened, as we find he was twelve years governor of the Jews.

let letters.

that they may.

the wall.

the house.

the king.

18; Ge 32:28; Ezr 5:5; 6:22; 7:6,9,27,28; Pr 21:1; Isa 66:14; Da 1:9

Ac 7:10; 26:22; 2Co 8:16

to the governors.

Now the.

Ezr 8:22

Sanballat.

19; 4:1-3,7; 6:1

Horonite.

Isa 15:5; Jer 48:5,34

the servant.

Pr 30:22; Ec 10:7

the Ammonite.

13:1

it grieved.

Nu 22:3,4; Ps 112:10; 122:6-9; Pr 27:4; Eze 25:6-8

Mic 7:9,10,16,17; Ac 4:2; 5:24; 19:26,27

there was come.

Ezr 4:4-23

Ezr 8:32

I arose.

Ge 32:22-24; Jos 10:9; Jud 6:27; 9:32; Mt 2:14

neither.

Ec 3:7; Am 5:13; Mic 7:5; Mt 10:16

my God.This pious and noble-minded man attributes every thing to God. If he purposed any good, it was because God put it into his heart; if he did or received any good, it was because the good hand of his God was upon him; if he expected any good, it was because he earnestly prayed God to remember him for good.

Ezr 7:27; Ps 51:18; 122:6; Jer 31:33; 32:40; 2Co 8:16; Jas 1:16,17

Re 17:17

the gate.

15; 3:13; 2Ch 26:9

the dung port.This was the gate on the eastern side of the city, through which the filth was carried to the brook Kidron and valley of Hinnom.

3:13,14; 12:31

the walls.

3,17; 1:3; Jer 5:10

the gate of the fountain.The gate leading either to the fountain of Siloam, on the east of the city, or to that of Gihon, on the west.

3:15; 2Ki 18:17; 20:20; 2Ch 32:30

the king's pool.Probably the aqueduct made by Hezekiah to bring the waters of Gihon to the city of David.

the brook. The brook Kidron.

2Sa 15:23; Jer 31:38-40; Joh 18:1

the gate.The gate leading to the valley of Jehoshaphat, east of the city, through which the brook Kidron flows. It was by this gate he went out; so that he went round the whole of the city, and entered by the same gate.

the rulers.

Ye see.

La 2:2,8,9; 3:51

come.

Ezr 5:1,2; 10:2-4; Isa 35:3,4

a reproach.

1:3; 1Sa 11:2; Ps 44:13; 79:4,12; 89:50,51; Jer 24:9; La 3:45,46

Eze 5:14; 22:4,5

the hand.

So they strengthened.

2Sa 2:7; 1Ch 11:10; 19:13; 2Ch 32:5; Ezr 6:22; Hag 1:13,14

Eph 6:10; Php 2:13

Sanballat.

10; 6:1,2

Geshem.

6:9

Gashmu. they.

Job 30:1; Ps 44:13,14; 79:4; 80:6; Jer 20:8; Mr 5:40; Heb 11:36

will ye rebel.

6:6; Ezr 4:15,16; Lu 23:2; Joh 19:12; Ac 24:5

The God.

4; 2Ch 26:5; Ps 20:5; 35:27; 102:13,14; 122:6; Ec 7:18

ye have no.

Ezr 4:3; Ac 8:21

memorial.

Ex 28:29; Le 2:2; 24:7; Nu 10:10; Isa 56:5; Zec 6:14; Ac 10:4,31When Nehemiah had prayed for the relief of his countrymen, and perhaps in David's words, Ps 51:18, he did not sit still and say, "Let God now do his own work, for I have no more to do;" but set himself to do what he could towards it; and here we find that the people were of one heart with Nehemiah. Our prayers must be seconded with our serious endeavours, or else we mock God. Nearly four months had passed, namely, from Chisleu to Nisan (November to March), before Nehemiah made his application to the king for leave to go to Jerusalem; either because the winter was not a proper time for such a journey, and he would not make a motion till he could pursue it, or because it was so long before his month of waiting upon the king came, and there was no coming into his presence until called for, Es 4:11. We are not thus limited to certain moments in our addresses to the King of kings, but have liberty of access to him at all times; to the throne of grace we never come unseasonably.