Nehemiah 2:8

Asaph the keeper of the king's forest R.V. marg. -or park". The forest or park from which the timber was to be supplied has been identified by some with the forests of Lebanon, by others with the well-wooded -plain" abounding in olives and sycomores (1 Chronicles 27:28) near the coast. In the present day scholars incline to identify it with -Solomon's Garden" at Etan or Etam, described by Josephus (Ant.VIII. 7.3) as richly wooded and well watered (παραδείσοις … καὶ ναμάτων ἐπιρροαῖς ἐπιτερπὲς ὁμοῦ καὶ πλούσιον) distant about six or seven miles S. from Jerusalem. The -pleasure-grounds" of Solomon may have been handed down as -royal domains."

In a scantily-wooded country like Palestine a well-preserved forest would have constituted a valuable piece of property.

The management of the -timber" was committed to a royal officer, -the keeper of the king's forest" or -park." The name Asaph suggests that -the keeper" was a Jew, which would favour the view of the forest being not far from Jerusalem.

-forest," -park" or -pleasure-garden." The Hebrew word "pardês" (Gr. παράδεισος = English -paradise") is found in the O.T. only in Song of Solomon 4:13; Ecclesiastes 2:5. It is said to be of Persian (Zend pairidaéza) origin, signifying an -enclosure." It seems to have been used especially of -the royal parks" or -enclosed hunting-grounds" of the Persian kings, and in this sense to have been received into Hebrew and Greek literature. It occurs with the meaning of a -garden" in Sir 24:30; Sir 40:17; Sir 40:27, Susann. passim. For its technical usage among the Jews for -the abode of the blest," see, on Luke 23:43, Lightfoot's Horae Hebraicae.

that he may give me timber Nehemiah asks for timber for the purpose of building (1) the castle or citadel of Jerusalem, (2) the walls generally, (3) his own house of residence as governor.

the gates of the palace whichappertained to the house R.V. the gates of the castle which appertaineth to the house. The word -Birah" rendered -castle" by the R.V. is of foreign, possibly Babylonian origin, and is represented in the Greek by Βᾶρις. See note on Nehemiah 1:1.

The building here referred to was destined to play an important part in the later history of Jerusalem. It lay on the north side of the Temple (-the house"), which it was intended to defend, and with which it communicated. It is not mentioned in Nehemiah 12:39, and therefore probably lay inside the circuit of the wall. A special officer commanded it (Nehemiah 7:2) on account of its great importance.

It was rebuilt by the Asmonean princes (1Ma 13:52), and again by Herod the Great, who gave it the name of -Antonia," after his friend and patron Mark Antony. Into this castle St Paul was carried by the Roman soldiers, when they rescued him from the hands of the mob in the Temple precincts (Acts 21:37; Acts 22:24).

the wall of the city The timber would be required especially for the gates and for the towers which commanded the gates.

the house that I shall enter into By this is apparently intended Nehemiah's official residence, where he afterwards so generously entertained, Nehemiah 5:17-18. The old interpretation which explained it to mean the Temple gives no satisfactory meaning to the words -that I shall enter into." Nehemiah was not a priest; and had no right to enter the Temple (see Nehemiah 6:11).

according to the good hand, &c. Cf. Nehemiah 2:18; Ezra 7:6; Ezra 8:18-22.