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Joseph Benson’s Bible Commentary

Nehemiah 2:4

Then the king said, For what dost thou make request? Something thou wouldest have, what is it? The king had an affection for him, and was not pleased to see him dejected, and thus gave him encouragement to tell his mind. So I prayed to the God of heaven I silently in my mind besought God to direct my thoughts and words, and to incline the king's heart to grant my request.

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See also Nehemiah 2:4 in other biblical comments:

  • Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

    Verse Nehemiah 2:4. _SO I PRAYED TO THE GOD OF HEAVEN._] Before he dared to prefer his request to the king, he made his prayer to God, that his suit might be acceptable: and this he does by mental pra...

  • Albert Barnes' Bible Commentary

    I PRAYED TO THE GOD OF HEAVEN - Mentally and momentarily, before answering the king....

  • Annotated Bible by A.C. Gaebelein

    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 ...

  • Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

    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 AFOR...

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    _For what dost thou make request_ See Esther 4:8; Esther 7:1; Esther 7:7. The king is favourable, and asks how he can render assistance. _So I prayed_ Literally, -And I prayed". Nehemiah instantaneous...

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    TEXT AND VERSE-BY-VERSE COMMENTS B. Nehemiah comes to Jerusalem 1. Nehemiah is given permission by Artaxerxes to make the trip. TEXT, NEHEMIAH 2:1-10 1 And it came about in the month Nisan, in the...

  • Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

    _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...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    NEHEMIAH'S RESOLVE TO REBUILD JERUSALEM This chapter gives an account of Nehemiah's request for leave to rebuild Jerusalem, his arrival there, and his survey of the ruined walls, which it was decided...

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    THE *JEWS BUILD JERUSALEM’S CITY WALL AGAIN NEHEMIAH _ROBERT BRYCE AND ROBERT BETTS_ CHAPTER 2 V1 It was the month called Nisan in the 20th year of King Artaxerxes’ rule. I was serving the king w...

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    The king asked Nehemiah what he wanted. This was Nehemiah’s opportunity, so he prayed. But he only had a moment to pray this prayer. Then Nehemiah told the king what he (Nehemiah) wanted to do. He ask...

  • Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

    SO I PRAYED TO THE GOD OF HEAVEN. — The first note of that habit of ejaculatory prayer which is a characteristic of this book....

  • Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

    II. (1-8) Nehemiah’s appeal to the king....

  • ETCBC data on Hebrew bible

    וַ יֹּ֤אמֶר לִי֙ הַ מֶּ֔לֶךְ עַל ־מַה

  • Expositor's Bible Commentary (Nicoll)

    THE PRAYER ANSWERED Nehemiah 2:1 NEHEMIAH'S prayer had commenced on celestial heights of meditation among thoughts of Divine grace and glory, and when it had stooped to earth it had swept over the wi...

  • Frederick Brotherton Meyer's Commentary

    A PATRIOT'S SELF-SACRIFICE Nehemiah 2:1 The seventh month answers to our March or April, so that four months had passed since Nehemiah had set himself to special prayer. Between the king's second que...

  • G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible

    Nehemiah's sadness could not wholly be hidden. He had not been habitually a sad man, as he himself declares; but the sorrow of his nation manifested itself as he stood before the king. It has been sug...

  • Geneva Study Bible Commentary

    Then the king said unto me, For what dost thou make request? So I prayed (e) to the God of heaven. (e) I desired God in my heart to prosper my enterprise....

  • George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary

    _Heaven, a fervent ejaculation, in secret, (Tirinus) to touch the king's heart, (Calmet) and to enable me to speak in a proper manner. (Menochius)_...

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    (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 ki...

  • James Nisbet's Church Pulpit Commentary

    _EJACULATORY PRAYER_ ‘So I prayed to the God of heaven.’ Nehemiah 2:4 Our thoughts are now upon that moment of ejaculatory prayer, and its lesson for our own faith and our own prayers. What has Ne...

  • John Brown Commentaries Selected Books of the Bible

    Preparation and Equipment Luke 14:27-31 (NKJV) "And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple. "For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and...

  • John Darby's Synopsis

    THE FOLLOWING COMMENTARY COVERS CHAPTER S 2, 3, 4, 5, AND 6. The time in which Nehemiah laboured for the good of his people was not one of those brilliant phases which, if faith be there, awaken even...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    Then the king said unto me, For what dost thou make request? So I prayed to the God of heaven. Ver. 4. _Then the king said unto me_] Some think that Nehemiah looked thus sad before the king on purpos...

  • KJV Original Language Details

    1 Artaxerxes vnderstanding the cause of Nehemiahs sadnesse, sendeth him with letters and commission to Ierusalem. 9 Nehemiah, to the griefe of the enemies, commeth to Ierusalem. 12 Hee vieweth secre...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    Then the king said unto me, rightly guessing that Nehemiah had a request to make in connection with this sad state of affairs, FOR WHAT DOST THOU MAKE REQUEST? SO I PRAYED TO THE GOD OF HEAVEN, sendin...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    Nehemiah's Request Granted by the King...

  • Leslie M. Grant's Commentary on the Bible

    This exercise of Nehemiah continued for four months following the information he received, and finally came to a head in the month Nisan (corresponding to March or April), when Nehemiah was serving wi...

  • Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible

    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; ap...

  • Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary On The Bible

    I PRAYED TO THE GOD OF HEAVEN, to direct my thoughts and words, and to incline the king's heart to grant my request....

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    Nehemiah 2:4 king H4428 said H559 (H8799) request H1245 (H8764) prayed H6419 (H8691) God H430 heaven...

  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

    NEHEMIAH'S SUCCESSFUL APPROACH TO THE KING AND HIS SUBSEQUENT COMMISSION (NEHEMIAH 2:1). Having reached his decision before God Nehemiah now carried it out into practise. He came into the king's pres...

  • Sermon Bible Commentary

    Nehemiah 2:4 God gives us every day, and all day long, something to choose about, and the reason is because He wants to try us, to see whether we do right, to exercise our minds and see whether we ac...

  • Summarized Bible Commentary

    CONTENTS: Nehemiah's visit to Jerusalem by permission of Artaxerxes. CHARACTERS: God, Artaxerxes, Nehemiah, Sanballat, Tobiah, Asaph, Geshem. CONCLUSION: The Christian should be concerned in the sor...

  • Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    Nehemiah 2:1. _Nisan._ See the chronology, Exodus 12. Artaxerxes was well disposed towards the Jews. He had sent Ezra to Jerusalem in the seventh year of his reign; he now sends Nehemiah in the twenti...

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _And it came to pass in the month Nizan._ DIVINE INTERPOSITION I. Was opportune. 1. That God’s plans are worked out with the utmost precision. 2. That God often interferes on His people’s behalf w...

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    NEHEMIAH 2:1 Nehemiah Gains Permission to Return and Inspects Jerusalem’s Walls. Nehemiah is allowed to go to Jerusalem (vv. Nehemiah 2:1). He surveys the walls, finding them in very poor condition (v...

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    NEHEMIAH—NOTE ON NEHEMIAH 2:4 The king then invites a request. SO I PRAYED. Nehemiah had already prayed a great deal, of course (see Nehemiah 1:4), but here he prays a

  • The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary

    EXPLANATORY NOTES.] NEHEMIAH 2:1. NISAN] Called Abib in Exodus 13:4, first month in Hebrew national year. Corresponds to parts of our March and April. NEHEMIAH 2:3. LET THE KING LIVE FOR EVER] (Heb....

  • The Pulpit Commentaries

    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 th...

  • Through The Bible C2000 Serie by Chuck Smith

    "You've never been sad in my presence before, what's wrong with you?" And so Nehemiah opened up his heart. Actually, the king had asked him a question and the king discerned. He said, "It's obviously...

  • Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

    1 Kings 3:5; 2 Samuel 15:31; Esther 5:3; Esther 5:6; Esther 7:2;...

  • Wells of Living Water Commentary

    REBUILDING THE WALL Nehemiah 2:1 INTRODUCTORY WORDS As we study the Book of Nehemiah we learn the truth of that old saying, "God moves in a mysterious way, His wonders to perform." This was true in...

  • Wesley's Explanatory Notes

    Let, &c. — My sadness comes not from any disaffection to the king, for whom my hearty prayers are that he may live for ever; but from another cause. Sepulchres — Which by all nations are esteemed sacr...

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