# Nehemiah 02 📖 [[📚 Explore the Bible Books]] [[Nehemiah Overview]] | [[Nehemiah 01]] | [[Nehemiah 03]] > [!info] Table of Contents > [[#📜 Scripture Text (NET)]] [[#📖 Verse-by-Verse Commentary]] [[#🧠 Chapter Summary]] [[#🔎 Key Principles / 🛟 Life Application]] [[#✍️ Key Verses to Remember]] > [[#🤔 Interesting Facts]] [[#🔗 Related Passages/Cross Reference]] [[#🙏 Devotional Reflection]] ## 📜 Scripture Text (NET) (The NET Bible: New English Translation. Biblical Studies Press, 2005) ## Nehemiah Is Permitted to Go to Jerusalem [[#Verse 01.]] Then in the month of Nisan, in the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes, when wine was brought to me, I took the wine and gave it to the king. Previously I had not been depressed in the king’s presence. [[#Verse 02.]] So the king said to me, “Why do you appear to be depressed when you aren’t sick? What can this be other than sadness of heart?” This made me very fearful. [[#Verse 03.]] I replied to the king, “O king, live forever! Why would I not appear dejected when the city with the graves of my ancestors lies desolate and its gates destroyed by fire?”  [[#Verse 04.]] The king responded, “What is it you are seeking?” Then I quickly prayed to the God of heaven [[#Verse 05.]] and said to the king, “If the king is so inclined and if your servant has found favor in your sight, dispatch me to Judah, to the city with the graves of my ancestors, so that I can rebuild it.”  [[#Verse 06.]] Then the king, with his consort sitting beside him, replied, “How long would your trip take, and when would you return?” Since the king was pleased to send me, I gave him a time.  [[#Verse 07.]] I said to the king, “If the king is so inclined, let him give me letters for the governors of Trans-Euphrates that will enable me to travel safely until I reach Judah, [[#Verse 08.]] and a letter for Asaph the keeper of the king’s nature preserve, so that he will give me timber for beams for the gates of the fortress adjacent to the temple and for the city wall and for the house to which I go.” So the king granted me these requests, for the good hand of my God was on me.  [[#Verse 09.]] Then I went to the governors of Trans-Euphrates, and I presented to them the letters from the king. The king had sent with me officers of the army and horsemen.  [[#Verse 10.]] When Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite official heard all this, they were very displeased that someone had come to seek benefit for the Israelites. ## Nehemiah Arrives in Jerusalem [[#Verse 11.]] So I came to Jerusalem. When I had been there for three days,  [[#Verse 12.]] I got up during the night, along with a few men who were with me. But I did not tell anyone what my God was putting on my heart to do for Jerusalem. There were no animals with me, except for the one I was riding.  [[#Verse 13.]] I proceeded through the Valley Gate by night, in the direction of the Well of the Dragons and the Dung Gate, inspecting the walls of Jerusalem that had been breached and its gates that had been destroyed by fire.  [[#Verse 14.]] I passed on to the Gate of the Well and the King’s Pool, where there was not enough room for my animal to pass with me.  [[#Verse 15.]] I continued up the valley during the night, inspecting the wall. Then I turned back and came to the Valley Gate, and so returned.  [[#Verse 16.]] The officials did not know where I had gone or what I had been doing, for up to this point I had not told any of the Jews or the priests or the nobles or the officials or the rest of the workers.  [[#Verse 17.]] Then I said to them, “You see the problem that we have—Jerusalem is desolate and its gates are burned. Come on! Let’s rebuild the wall of Jerusalem so that this reproach will not continue.”  [[#Verse 18.]] Then I related to them how the good hand of my God was on me and what the king had said to me. Then they replied, “Let’s begin rebuilding right away!” So they readied themselves for this good project. [[#Verse 19.]] But when Sanballat the Horonite, Tobiah the Ammonite official, and Geshem the Arab heard all this, they derided us and expressed contempt toward us. They said, “What is this you are doing? Are you rebelling against the king?”  [[#Verse 20.]] I responded to them by saying, “The God of heaven will prosper us. We his servants will start the rebuilding. But you have no just or ancient right in Jerusalem.” ## ==📖 Verse-by-Verse Commentary== ###### Overall. ###### Verse 01. - Four months later. ###### Verse 02. - This was dangerous. Persian kings were taught that their very presence brought joy to their subjects. Therefore, to be unhappy in the king's presence could be taken as an insult. ###### Verse 03. - Asian kings were very connected to their ancestry. Using this as the leading reason was likely trying to connect with the king in a way he would appreciate. ###### Verse 04. - The Bible continues to show Nehemiah's dependence on God. ###### Verse 05. ###### Verse 06. - The word for "queen" in this passage is rare and only used one other time. This has led some scholars to think it may not have been the crowned queen but rather the king's favorite concubine. - Because this other person was there, it also seems to indicate this was during an informal mealtime. ###### Verse 07. - Nehemiah knew it was not going to be as simple as traveling down the road. He was going to need supplies and letters of safe passage. He was prepared should the king say yes. This is a great lesson for us. We should be prepared for when the Lord opens the door. ###### Verse 08. - Asaph is a Hebrew name. It is possible that this was another Hebrew "official" familiar to Nehemiah. ###### Verse 09. ###### Verse 10. - Sanballat the Horonite- Extra-biblical sources say that he was the governor of Samaria. It also says he had two sons with Hebrew names. This may mean he was more connected to the Hebrew situation than first realized. However, he is now an enemy to the Hebrew people. Name is a positive statement toward the pagan sun God "sin." - Tobiah the Ammonite- Opinions are split between whether he is an official under the leadership of Sanballat or whether he is the governor of Ammon. Either way, his name is Hebrew. He also has relatives who help reconstruct the wall. ###### Verse 11. - Like Ezra, Nehemiah rests for three days after arriving. ###### Verse 12. - Because there were enemies all around Jerusalem and the city had little protection due to the collapsed wall, Nehemiah was not yet ready to announce his plan. - The Hebrew word for "had put into his heart" actually means "was putting into his heart." This would mean that Nehemiah admits the Lord was still giving him the full plan. That is why he wanted to search the area. ###### Verse 13. ###### Verse 14. ###### Verse 15. ###### Verse 16. - He developed the plan before presenting it. There is no telling how long they had wanted this to happen. To keep discouragement at bay, he needed a complete plan to present. ###### Verse 17. - "us"- showing the traits of a good leader, Nehemiah is including himself in the building process. ###### Verse 18. - Nehemiah reminds them that the Lord has purposed for this to happen. ###### Verse 19. - Geshem the Arab- This is the third major enemy of the people of God. Geshem is thought to be a local warlord, a tribal nomad, and a possible spice trader. He may have also been under the guidance of Saballat. The destabilization the wall would have caused would mess up his spice trade and his superiority over the land. ###### Verse 20. - Modern times are not the first time the land of Israel has been disputed. ## 🤔 Interesting Facts / Historical and Cultural Insights - coming soon. %% PRIVATE NOTES (only I see this) Write down things that are not straight from commentary but interesting facts that ground the text in history. %% ## 🧠 Chapter Summary - coming soon. %% PRIVATE NOTES (only I see this) Write a short paragraph (3–5 sentences) summarizing what happens in this chapter. - What is the main event or teaching? - How does this chapter fit the book’s overall story? - What stands out immediately? Anything Apologetic to point out? %% ## 🔎 Key Principles / 🛟 Life Application - coming soon. %% PRIVATE NOTES (only I see this) - 📌 Observation 1 - 📌 Observation 2 - 📌 Observation 3 - (Add more as needed.) %% %% #### Today, I can apply this chapter by: - ✅ Application 1 - ✅ Application 2 Make these very practical: - "Trust God's timing in an uncertain situation." - "Speak truth even when it’s unpopular." Think: - What do we learn about God here? - What do we learn about people? - Are there promises, commands, or warnings? %% ## ✍️ Key Verses to Remember - coming soon. %% PRIVATE NOTES (only I see this) - 📖 [Verse Reference] – "Quote of important verse." - 📖 [Verse Reference] – "Quote of another important verse." (You can link to deeper notes if you want later.) %% ## 🔗 Related Passages/Cross Reference - 🔗 coming soon. - 🔗 coming soon. %% Examples: - John 1:1 and Genesis 1 - Romans 5 and Genesis 3 %% ## 🙏 Devotional Reflection - [[Nehemiah 02 - SOAP]] ##### 📂 Internal Links/Personal Notes