Nehemiah 2
Overview
2:1 Artaxerxes, understanding the cause of Nehemiah's sadness, sends him with letters and commission to Jerusalem;
2:9 Nehemiah, to the grief of the enemies, comes to Jerusalem;
2:12 He views secretly the ruins of the walls;
2:17 He incites the Jews to build. Verse 1 Nisan Esther 3:7 the twentieth Nehemiah 1:1; Ezra 7:1, 7:7 I took up Nehemiah 1:11; Genesis 40:11, 40:21 Reciprocal Nehemiah 5:14 - from the twentieth; 13:6 - the two; Psalm 102:17 - He will; Proverbs 12:25 - Heaviness; Daniel 9:25 - from Verse 2 Why is thy Genesis 40:7 sorrow Proverbs 15:13 Then IProbably 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.Reciprocal Genesis 40:1 - the butler; 1 Kings 21:5 - Why is thy spirit; Nehemiah 7:7 - Zerubbabel; Psalm 13:2 - sorrow; 137:5 - I forget; Proverbs 12:25 - Heaviness; Ecclesiastes 7:4 - heart Verse 3 Let the kingFar from wishing ill to my master, I wish him to live forever. 1 Kings 1:31; Daniel 2:4, 3:9, 5:10, 6:6, 6:21 the city Nehemiah 1:3; Psalm 102:14, 137:6; Lamentations 2:9 the place 2 Chronicles 21:20, 28:27, 32:33 Reciprocal Genesis 47:30 - General; Leviticus 26:31 - And I will make; Nehemiah 2:13 - the walls; Esther 4:8 - request; 8:6 - the evil; Psalm 74:3 - the perpetual; 137:1 - the rivers; 137:5 - I forget; Isaiah 5:5 - I will take; 44:26 - and I will; Jeremiah 8:21 - the hurt; 51:50 - remember Verse 4 For what 1 Kings 3:5; Esther 5:3, 5:6, 7:2; Mark 10:51 So I prayed Nehemiah 1:4, 1:11; 2 Samuel 15:31; Proverbs 3:6; Philippians 4:6 Reciprocal Genesis 24:12 - I pray; 24:45 - speaking; 39:4 - Joseph; 1 Samuel 1:13 - spake; 1 Kings 8:50 - and give them; Nehemiah 2:6 - So it pleased; 2:20 - The God; Proverbs 21:1 - The king's; 22:11 - the king; Isaiah 49:17 - children; Jeremiah 29:12 - General; 40:5 - or go; Daniel 1:9 - General; Jonah 1:9 - the God; Acts 23:19 - What; Philippians 2:13 - to will; Revelation 16:11 - the God Verse 5 If it please Ezra 5:17; Esther 1:19, 5:8, 7:3, 8:5 and if thy Ruth 2:13; 2 Samuel 14:22; Proverbs 3:4 Reciprocal Genesis 30:27 - favour; 39:4 - Joseph; 47:30 - General; Nehemiah 13:6 - after certain days; Isaiah 58:12 - build Verse 6 the queenHeb. the wife, It was probably Esther who was present at this time, and who seconded Nehemiah's request.So it pleased Nehemiah 2:4, 1:11; Isaiah 58:12, 61:4, 65:24 I set him a timeIt 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. Nehemiah 5:14, 13:6 Reciprocal Isaiah 49:23 - kings Verse 7 let letters Nehemiah 2:9; Ezra 6:6, 7:21 that they may 8:22 Reciprocal 5:3 - Tatnai; Isaiah 60:10 - their kings Verse 8 the wall Nehemiah 2:17, 3:1-32 the house 3:7, 7:2 the king 2:18; Genesis 32:28; Ezra 5:5, 6:22, 7:6, 7:9, 7:27, 7:28; Proverbs 21:1; Isaiah 66:14; Daniel 1:9; Acts 7:10, 26:22; 2 Corinthians 8:16 Reciprocal Ezra 8:18 - by the good hand; Nehemiah 1:11 - grant; 3:3 - the beams; Esther 2:9 - she obtained; Psalm 68:29 - shall; Micah 7:11 - shall; Acts 11:21 - the hand Verse 9 to the governors Nehemiah 2:7 Now the Ezra 8:22 Reciprocal Jeremiah 30:21 - nobles Verse 10 Sanballat Nehemiah 2:19, 4:1-3, 4:7, 6:1 Horonite Isaiah 15:5; Jeremiah 48:5, 48:34 the servant Proverbs 30:22; Ecclesiastes 10:7 the Ammonite Nehemiah 13:1 it grieved Numbers 22:3, 22:4; Psalm 112:10, 122:6-9; Proverbs 27:4; Ezekiel 25:6-8; Micah 7:9, 7:10, 7:16, 7:17; Acts 4:2, 5:24, 19:26, 19:27 there was come Ezra 4:4-23 Reciprocal Nehemiah 4:3 - Tobiah; 6:16 - when all our enemies; Esther 10:3 - seeking; Psalm 122:9 - I will seek; Jeremiah 30:21 - nobles; 41:10 - to the Verse 11 Ezra 8:32
Verse 12 I arose Genesis 32:22-24; Joshua 10:9; Judges 6:27, 9:32; Matthew 2:14 neither Ecclesiastes 3:7; Amos 5:13; Micah 7:5; Matthew 10:16 my GodThis 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. Ezra 7:27; Psalm 51:18, 122:6; Jeremiah 31:33, 32:40; 2 Corinthians 8:16; James 1:16, 1:17; Revelation 17:17 Reciprocal Exodus 35:34 - he hath; Ezra 1:5 - whose spirit; 7:6 - according to; Nehemiah 2:16 - the rulers; Ecclesiastes 9:10 - thy hand; John 13:2 - put; Acts 23:24 - beasts Verse 13 the gate Nehemiah 2:15, 3:13; 2 Chronicles 26:9 the dung portThis was the gate on the eastern side of the city, through which the filth was carried to the brook Kidron and valley of Hinnom. Nehemiah 3:13, 3:14, 12:31 the walls 2:3, 2:17, 1:3; Jeremiah 5:10 Reciprocal Psalm 74:3 - the perpetual Verse 14 the gate of the fountainThe gate leading either to the fountain of Siloam, on the east of the city, or to that of Gihon, on the west. Nehemiah 3:15; 2 Kings 18:17, 20:20; 2 Chronicles 32:30 the king's poolProbably the aqueduct made by Hezekiah to bring the waters of Gihon to the city of David.Reciprocal Nehemiah 12:37 - the fountain gate; Ecclesiastes 2:6 - pools Verse 15 the brookThe brook Kidron, 2 Samuel 15:23; Jeremiah 31:38-40; John 18:1 the gateThe 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. Nehemiah 2:13
Verse 16 the rulers Nehemiah 2:12 Reciprocal Exodus 24:11 - nobles Verse 17 Ye see Lamentations 2:2, 2:8, 2:9, 3:51 come Ezra 5:1, 5:2, 10:2-4; Isaiah 35:3, 35:4 a reproach Nehemiah 1:3; 1 Samuel 11:2; Psalm 44:13, 79:4, 79:12, 89:50, 89:51; Jeremiah 24:9; Lamentations 3:45, 3:46; Ezekiel 5:14, 22:4, 22:5 Reciprocal Leviticus 26:31 - And I will make; Nehemiah 2:8 - the wall; 2:13 - the walls; Psalm 51:18 - build; 102:14 - General; Isaiah 49:17 - children; 58:12 - build; Jeremiah 31:38 - that; Micah 7:11 - the day Verse 18 the hand Nehemiah 2:8 So they strengthened 2 Samuel 2:7; 1 Chronicles 11:10, 19:13; 2 Chronicles 32:5; Ezra 6:22; Haggai 1:13, 1:14; Ephesians 6:10; Philippians 2:13 Reciprocal Genesis 48:2 - strengthened; 1 Samuel 23:16 - strengthened; Ezra 7:6 - according to; 7:9 - began he to go up; Matthew 26:10 - a good; Acts 11:21 - the hand; 2 Timothy 3:17 - thoroughly furnished Verse 19 Sanballat Nehemiah 2:10, 6:1, 6:2 Geshem 6:9, Gashmuthey Job 30:1; Psalm 44:13, 44:14, 79:4, 80:6; Jeremiah 20:8; Mark 5:40; Habakkuk 3:1 will ye rebel Nehemiah 6:6; Ezra 4:15, 4:16; Luke 23:2; John 19:12; Acts 24:5 Reciprocal 1 Samuel 17:10 - I defy; 2 Chronicles 30:10 - they laughed; Nehemiah 4:1 - Sanballat; 4:3 - Tobiah; 4:7 - Sanballat; 13:1 - Moabite; 13:28 - Sanballat; Isaiah 36:5 - that; Jeremiah 41:10 - to the; 49:1 - their king; Lamentations 5:8 - Servants; Amos 1:13 - and for Verse 20 The God Nehemiah 2:4; 2 Chronicles 26:5; Psalm 20:5, 35:27, 102:13, 102:14, 122:6; Ecclesiastes 7:18 ye have no Ezra 4:3; Acts 8:21 memorial Exodus 28:29; Leviticus 2:2, 24:7; Numbers 10:10; Isaiah 56:5; Zechariah 6:14; Acts 10:4, 10:31
When Nehemiah had prayed for the relief of his countrymen, and perhaps in David's words, Psalm 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, Esther 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.Reciprocal Genesis 39:3 - prosper; Exodus 39:7 - a memorial; Leviticus 26:9 - for I; Joshua 22:25 - ye have; Isaiah 36:5 - that