1 AND it came to pass in the month Nisan, in the twentieth year of Artaxerxes the king, that wine was before him: and I took up the wine, and gave it unto the king. Now I had not been beforetime sad in his presence.
2 Wherefore the king said unto me, Why is thy countenance sad, seeing thou art not sick? this is nothing else but sorrow of heart. Then I was very sore afraid,
3 And said unto the king, Let the king live for ever: why should not my countenance be sad, when the city, the place of my fathers’ sepulchres, lieth waste, and the gates thereof are consumed with fire?
4 Then the king said unto me, For what dost thou make request? So I prayed to the God of heaven.
5 And I said unto the king, If it please the king, and if thy servant have found favour in thy sight, that thou wouldest send me unto Judah, unto the city of my fathers’ sepulchres, that I may build it.
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.
7 Moreover I said unto the king, If it please the king, let letters be given me to the governors beyond the river, that they may convey me over till I come into Judah;
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.
9 Then I came to the governors beyond the river, and gave them the king’s letters. Now the king had sent captains of the army and horsemen with me.
10 When Sanballat the Horonite, and Tobiah the servant, the Ammonite, heard of it, it grieved them exceedingly that there was come a man to seek the welfare of the children of Israel.
11 So I came to Jerusalem, and was there three days.
12 And I arose in the night, I and some few men with me; neither told I any man what my God had put in my heart to do at Jerusalem: neither was there any beast with me, save the beast that I rode upon.
13 And I went out by night by the gate of the valley, even before the dragon well, and to the dung port, and viewed the walls of Jerusalem, which were broken down, and the gates thereof were consumed with fire.
14 Then I went on to the gate of the fountain, and to the king’s pool: but there was no place for the beast that was under me to pass.
15 Then went I up in the night by the brook, and viewed the wall, and turned back, and entered by the gate of the valley, and so returned.
16 And the rulers knew not whither I went, or what I did; neither had I as yet told it to the Jews, nor to the priests, nor to the nobles, nor to the rulers, nor to the rest that did the work.
17 Then said I unto them, Ye see the distress that we are in, how Jerusalem lieth waste, and the gates thereof are burned with fire: come, and let us build up the wall of Jerusalem, that we be no more a reproach.
18 Then I told them of the hand of my God which was good upon me; as also the king’s words that he had spoken unto me. And they said, Let us rise up and build. So they strengthened their hands for this good work.
19 But when Sanballat the Horonite, and Tobiah the servant, the Ammonite, and Geshem the Arabian, heard it, they laughed us to scorn, and despised us, and said, What is this thing that ye do? will ye rebel against the king?

20 Then answered I them, and said unto them, The God of heaven, he will prosper us; therefore we his servants will arise and build: but ye have no portion, nor right, nor memorial, in Jerusalem

1And it came to passe, in the moneth Nisan, in the twentieth yeere of Artaxerxes the king, that wine was before him: and I tooke vp the wine, and gaue it vnto the King: now I had not bene beforetime sad in his presence.

2Wherefore the king said vnto me, Why is thy countenance sadde, seeing thou art not sicke? this is nothing else but sorrow of heart. Then I was very sore afraid,

3And said vnto the king, Let the king liue for euer: why should not my countenance be sad, when the city, the place of my fathers Sepulchres, lyeth waste, and the gates thereof are consumed with fire?

4Then the king said vnto me, For what doest thou make request? So I prayed to the God of heauen.

5And I said vnto the king, If it please the king, and if thy seruant haue found fauour in thy sight, that thou wouldest send me vnto Iudah vnto the City of my fathers sepulchres, that I may build it.

6And the king saide vnto mee (the Queene also sitting by him) For how long shall thy iourney bee? and when wilt thou returne? So it pleased the king to send me, and I set him a time.

7Moreouer I saide vnto the king, If it please the king, let letters be giuen mee to the gouernours beyond the Riuer, that they may conuey me ouer, till I come into Iudah;

8And a letter vnto Asaph the keeper of the kings forrest, that he may giue me timber to make beames for the gates of the palace which appertained to the house, and for the wall of the Citie, and for the house that I shall enter into: And the king granted me, according to the good hand of my God vpon me.

9 Then I came to the gouernours beyond the riuer, and gaue them the kings letters: (now the king had sent captaines of the army, and horsemen with me.)

10When Sanballat the Horonite, and Tobiah the seruant, the Ammonite, heard of it, it grieued them exceedingly, that there was come a man, to seeke the welfare of the children of Israel.

11So I came to Ierusalem, and was there three dayes.

12 And I arose in the night, I, and some few men with mee, neither tolde I any man what God had put in my heart to doe at Ierusalem: neither was there any beast with mee, saue the beast that I rode vpon.

13And I went out by night, by the gate of the valley, euen before the dragon well, and to the doung-port, and viewed the walls of Ierusalem, which were broken downe, and the gates thereof were consumed with fire.

14Then I went on to the gate of the fountaine, and to the kings poole: but there was no place for the beast that was vnder me, to passe.

15Then went I vp in the night by the brooke, and viewed the wall, and turned backe, and entred by the gate of the valley, and so returned.

16And the rulers knew not whither I went, or what I did, neither had I as yet tolde it to the Iewes, nor to the Priests, nor to the nobles, nor to the rulers, nor to the rest that did the worke.

17 Then said I vnto them, Yee see the distresse that we are in, how Ierusalem lieth waste, and the gates therof are burnt with fire: come, and let vs builde vp the wall of Ierusalem, that we be no more a reproch.

18Then I told them of the hand of my God, which was good vpon me; as also the kings wordes that he had spoken vnto me. And they said, Let vs rise vp and builde. So they strengthened their hands for this good worke.

19But when Sanballat the Horonite, and Tobiah the seruant the Ammonite, and Geshem the Arabian heard it, they laughed vs to scorne, and despised vs, and said, What is this thing that yee doe? will ye rebell against the king?

20Then answered I them, and said vnto them, The God of heauen, he will prosper vs, therefore wee his seruants will arise and build: But you haue no portion, nor right, nor memoriall in Ierusalem.

I == Ezra 7:1 ; Neh 1:11

 

II == Prov 15:13

 

 

III == 1st Kings 1:31 ; Neh 1:3 ; Dan 2:4 ; 5:10 ; 6:6 , 21

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

VI == Neh 5:14 ; 13:6

 

 

 

 

 

VIII == Ezra 5:5 ; 7:6 , 9 , 28 ; Neh 2:18 ; 3:7

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

XI == Ezra 8:32

 

 

 

 

XIII == 2nd Chr 26:9 ; Neh 1:3 ; 2:17 ; 3:13

 

 

XIV == Neh 3:15

 

 

XV == 2nd Sam 15:23 ; Jer 31:40

 

 

 

 

XVII == Neh 1:3 ; Ps 44:13 ; 79:4 ; Jer 24:9 ; Ezek 5:14-15 ; 22:4

 

 

XVIII == 2nd Sam 2:7 ; Neh 2:8

 

 

Neh 6:6 ; Ps 44:13 ; 79:4 ; 80:6

 

 

 

XX == Ezra 4:3

1 In the month Nisan of the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes, when the wine was in my charge, I took some and offered it to the king. As I had never before been sad in his presence,

2 the king asked me, "Why do you look sad? If you are not sick, you must be sad at heart." Though I was seized with great fear,

3 I answered the king: "May the king live forever! How could I not look sad when the city where my ancestors are buried lies in ruins, and its gates have been eaten out by fire?"

4 The king asked me, "What is it, then, that you wish?" I prayed to the God of heaven

5 and then answered the king: "If it please the king, and if your servant is deserving of your favor, send me to Judah, to the city of my ancestors' graves, to rebuild it."

6 Then the king, and the queen seated beside him, asked me how long my journey would take and when I would return. I set a date that was acceptable to him, and the king agreed that I might go.

7 I asked the king further: "If it please the king, let letters be given to me for the governors of West-of-Euphrates, that they may afford me safe-conduct till I arrive in Judah;

8 also a letter for Asaph, the keeper of the royal park, that he may give me wood for timbering the gates of the temple-citadel and for the city wall and the house that I shall occupy." The king granted my requests, for the favoring hand of my God was upon me.

9 Thus I proceeded to the governors of West-of-Euphrates and presented the king's letters to them. The king also sent with me army officers and cavalry.

10 When Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite slave had heard of this, they were very much displeased that someone had come to seek the welfare of the Israelites.

11 When I had arrived in Jerusalem, I first rested there for three days.

12 Then I set out by night with only a few other men (for I had not told anyone what my God had inspired me to do for Jerusalem) and with no other animals but my own mount.

13 I rode out at night by the Valley Gate, passed by the Dragon Spring, and came to the Dung Gate, observing how the walls of Jerusalem lay in ruins and its gates had been eaten out by fire.

14 Then I passed over to the Spring Gate and to the King's Pool. Since there was no room here for my mount to pass with me astride,

15 I continued on foot up the wadi by night, inspecting the wall all the while till I once more reached the Valley Gate, by which I went back in.

16 The magistrates knew nothing of where I had gone or what I was doing, for as yet I had disclosed nothing to the Jews, neither to the priests, nor to the nobles, nor to the magistrates, nor to the others who would be concerned about the matter.

17 Afterward I said to them: "You see the evil plight in which we stand: how Jerusalem lies in ruins and its gates have been gutted by fire. Come, let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem, so that we may no longer be an object of derision!"

18 Then I explained to them how the favoring hand of my God had rested upon me, and what the king had said to me. They replied, "Let us be up and building!" And they undertook the good work with vigor.

19 On hearing of this, Sanballat the Horonite, Tobiah the Ammonite slave, and Geshem the Arab mocked us and ridiculed us. "What is this that you are about?" they asked. "Are you rebelling against the king?"

20 My answer to them was this: "It is the God of heaven who will grant us success. We, his servants, shall set about the rebuilding; but for you there is to be neither share nor claim nor memorial in Jerusalem."

v 1. Chart of problems and responses, Zuck’s Bible Knowledge. Four months had gone by, from Jewish December to April, both in the 20th year of Artaxerxes, since the Babylonian year changed in September. These matters had weighed on Nehemiah so long that for the first time, he neglected to keep up his cheerful countenance.

v 2,3. Nehemiah was afraid, because if the king could discern he was sad, it was an indication he was not satisfied with the king, and his life might be forfeit. He wisely showed proper respect for the king, and having thought on this some time, instead of mentioning Jerusalem, a political issue, he appealed to the king’s respect for the dead, and his own sorrow that the city  of his fathers’ sepulchers was wasted and burned. While the temple had been rebuilt 71 years before, 515 BC, the city was still in ruins.

v 4. Artaxerxes was sympathetic to Nehemiah, and asked what he could do about it. This was not a case of Nehemiah  taking time for a prayer session. He had thought and prayed about the matter for a long time, so he simply breathed a quick prayer for guidance, much as we would if our car were about to go into a ditch.

5. Again, with great respect and humility and avoiding mention of Jerusalem. Nehemiah’s request to go build his city was conditioned on “if it please the king”.

v 6. This was apparently a private meeting, otherwise the queen would not have been seated with the king. She was probably Damaspia, his one legitimate queen. The fact that the king asked when he would return, indicated he was favorable to it. That Nehemiah was able to set a time, indicated the thought and research that preceded. The time is not stated, and the original time may have been extended, because he was governor of Judah about twelve years, compare 2:1 and 13:6. 

v 7,8. Now Nehemiah boldly requested a tremendous favor, again conditioned upon “if it please the king”. He knew from the reports that their would be opposition, so he asked for letters of passage. He also asked for a letter to the man in charge of the king’s forest, Asaph, for building materials for the gates, temple fortification and governor’s palace. Nehemiah readily acknowledged that the favorable response of the king was due to “the good hand of God upon me”. This expression six times, Ezra 2:18; 7:9; 8:18;.8:22; Neh. 2:8; 2:18. 
Some claim with much proof that the beginning of Daniel’s “Seventy Weeks”, Dan. 9:24, begins the first day of the month Nisan in the 20th year of Artaxerxes, March 14, 445 BC, when the command was given to rebuild Jerusalem, and continues to the Triumphal Entry, Apr. 2, AD 32. Larkin, using the same starting time in Neh. 2:1, takes the time period to Apr. 2, AD 30. Others may figure similarly, but rather than trying to figure precisely, let it be God who does the figuring to the exact day and year.   

v 9. Nehemiah had not only the letters of authorization, but since he was going in official capacity and was probably already appointed governor, 5:14, he had a military escort. Contrast Ezra, Ezra 8:22, who was ashamed to ask help from the king after he had indicated reliance upon God’s protection. This military assisted trip probably took less than half the time it took for families to take a little longer, safer route.

v 10. Opposition was immediate, as secular records prove Sanballat was called governor of Samaria. He no doubt had design of control over Judah. He and Tobiah, his associate, were very upset that Nehemiah was come to help Israelites. This Tobiah is not the same as the Jew, whose children couldn’t prove their genealogy, 7:61,62.

v 11-16. After three days (which could have included any part of the day of arrival) of resting, praying and becoming acquainted, Nehemiah went out secretly by night with a few trusted individuals to analyze the situation and make plans. He was the only one mounted. These men could only surmise what he had in mind, and he was careful to tell no one, not even the leading men, until his plans were fully established. He started at the Valley Gate in the southwestern part of the wall, went down around the south end and up the east side. In the area of the pool of Siloam there was to much rubble to pass, so he followed north up the Kidron valley. He either went clear around the city or retraced his steps to the starting point.

v 17,18. After Nehemiah was sure he had a workable plan, he reminded the people of the deplorable condition of the city. Then he challenged them to rise up and build, and remove their reproach. Then he rehearsed to them what had transpired between him and the king, and how God had put it into the heart of the king to help them. At this, the people were encouraged, and with a positive attitude, set about the task of rebuilding.

v 19. In light of the troubles in Jerusalem today, it is noteworthy that Geshem, an Arabian joined in the opposition, which now stepped up. First they began with ridicule, then made accusation that the Jews were in rebellion against the king.

v 20. If the opposition seems to have ignored the letters from the king, It may have been because Persia was already loosing influence in the captured countries, but they are told that the God of Heaven would bring success. Nehemiah also pointed out that the enemies had no present or historic right to the city. We need someone like Nehemiah to take this message to Yassar Arifat and other Muslim-Arab leaders today. The Bible Knowledge Commentary quotes Donald K. Campbell with 21 characteristics shown by Nehemiah for effective leadership.
1. He established a reasonable and obtainable goal.
2. He had a sense of mission.
3. He was willing to get involved. 
4. He rearranged his priorities in order to accomplish his goal.
5. He patiently waited for God’s timing.
6. He showed respect for his superior.
7. He prayed at crucial times.
8. He made his request with tact and graciousness.
9. He was well prepared and thought of his needs in advance.
10. He went through proper channels.
11. He took time (three days) to rest, pray and plan.
12. He investigated the situation first hand.
13. He informed others only after he knew the size of the problem.
14. He identified himself as one with the people.
15. He set before them a reasonable and obtainable goal.
16. He assured them God was in the project.
17. He displayed self-confidence in facing the opposition.
18. He displayed God’s confidence in facing opposition.
19. He did not argue with opponents.
20. He was not discouraged by opposition.
21. He courageously used the authority of his position.