2:1 the month of Nisan March or April of 444 bc, four months after the events of chapter one. Nisan was the first month of the year in the Jewish calendar.

Israelite Calendar Table

King Artaxerxes The ruler of the Persian Empire from 464–424 bc.

2:2 Why is your face sad Nehemiah’s activities of the past few months—mourning, fasting, and praying—began to affect him physically. Compare note on v. 1.

I was very much afraid Nehemiah may have feared the loss of his livelihood, since court etiquette required those in the king’s presence to have a cheerful countenance. It is also possible that Nehemiah was nervous because he knew that if his request were refused he might not get another opportunity.

2:3 May the king live forever A common form of address to kings in the ancient Near East (1 Kgs 1:31; Dan 2:4).

my ancestors’ burial site Ancestral tombs were universally respected throughout the ancient Near East, especially among the nobility and royalty. Nehemiah is presenting his case in a way that Artaxerxes can sympathize with.

2:6 the queen According to the Greek historian Ctesias, the wife of Artaxerxes was named Damaspia (Persika 15.44).

and I set for him an appointed time The specific time is not given here, but it is later mentioned that Nehemiah returned to Susa after 12 years in Jerusalem (Neh 5:14; 13:6).

2:7 Beyond the River Refers to the name of a Persian province. See note on Ezra 4:10.

2:8 the king’s land reserve The location of this park or forest is unclear. Since Asaph is a Hebrew name, it may refer to a forest within Israel such as Solomon’s Garden at Etham, about six miles south of Jerusalem. It may also refer to a forest in Lebanon, a region famed for its magnificent cedar trees (see note on Isa 14:8). King Cyrus previously allowed for the importation of cedars from Lebanon to rebuild the temple (Ezra 3:7). However, the relative cost of importing the cedars from Lebanon—especially for the task of building city walls—makes this alternative unlikely.

the gates of Wooden gates allowed easy access into the city. Stone gates would have been much too heavy to open and close on a regular basis.

the walls of the city While most of the city wall was likely made of stone and brick, wood was needed for placement and support.

gave permission to me Artaxerxes may have allowed the return to ensure that Judah remained loyal to the Persians. The land of Judah presented a natural buffer against the many rebellions in the western portion of the empire, assuming it stayed loyal to the Persians. From a political standpoint, it was imperative that the Persians retain loyalties in the Judaean region. With someone as trusted as Nehemiah as the governor of the territory, the king could feel relatively secure that Judah would not join the occasional uprisings. Regardless of the Persian king’s reasoning, Nehemiah attributes his success to God.

the good hand of God Reminiscent of similar phraseology used throughout the book of Ezra (Ezra 7:6, 9, 28; 8:18, 22, 31).

2:9 I came to the governors of The amount of time between the events of Neh 2:8 and 2:9 was long enough for Nehemiah to gather supplies and make the long journey from Susa to Jerusalem. Nehemiah probably arrived in Jerusalem in the late summer of 444 bc.

troop commanders and horses A military escort ensured Nehemiah a safe journey to his homeland and gave him an aura of imperial authority when he got there.

2:10 Sanballat the Horonite In extrabiblical sources Sanballat is identified as the governor of Samaria. He is associated with Samaria in 4:1–2, but his title is never given in Nehemiah.

the Ammonite servant Tobiah Possibly the Persian governor of Ammon. The Ammonites were descendants of Ben-ammi, son of Abraham’s nephew Lot. They settled in territory east of the Jordan River. See note on 1 Chr 19:1.

to seek the welfare of the Israelites Nehemiah’s governorship effectively took away any authority these opponents had over the region of Judah. Nehemiah’s efforts would also strengthen the Jews. The opposition group evidently regarded this strengthening as a military threat.

2:11 three days Nehemiah was probably resting after his long journey. Ezra’s caravan also rested for three days following its journey to Jerusalem (Ezra 8:32).

2:12 a few men Probably refers to residents of Jerusalem who knew their way around the city. They may also have been guards responsible for Nehemiah’s safety.

2:13 the gate of the valley Probably located near the southwest corner of the city. From here, Nehemiah seems to have proceeded in a counterclockwise direction, but did not go all the way around the city.

the Dragon spring The Hebrew word used here can mean “dragon,” “serpent,” or “jackal.” The spring is probably a source of water in the Tyropoeon Valley, now dried up.

to the Dung Gate From the Valley Gate to the Dung Gate was a distance of about 1,500 feet (Neh 3:13). This was the southernmost gate, leading to the Hinnom Valley. It is probably to be identified as the Potsherd Gate mentioned in Jer 19:2.

were broken down The gates and walls of Jerusalem were destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar in 586 bc (2 Kgs 25:8–12).

2:14 the Fountain Gate Probably led to the En-rogel spring in the southeastern corner of Jerusalem.

the King’s Pool Possibly the Pool of Siloam. The Pool of Siloam was fed by an aqueduct created during the reign of Hezekiah that brought water from the Gihon spring.

no place The homes on this side of the city were terraced down into the valley. When the wall was destroyed, all the homes collapsed and fell on top of one another, creating a considerable amount of debris.

2:15 the valley The Kidron Valley, east of the city.

I returned Nehemiah’s tour of inspection was limited to the southern part of the city wall.

2:16 nobles This may refer to landowners. Since the Hebrew word used here can be translated “citizens,” it is possible that they were simply residents of Jerusalem. However, the common residents of the city seem to be included by the general term “Jews.”

The prefects Probably the political leaders of the city.

2:17 Then I said to them This event probably took place on the morning after the inspection.

2:19 heard The enemies of the Jews were well informed, possibly by traitors within Jerusalem.

Geshem the Arab “Arab” is a reference to Geshem’s ancestry, as well as to his control of the Arab regions east and south of Judah. If this is the same Geshem mentioned in extrabiblical inscriptions, he ruled a league of Arabian tribes that took control of northern Arabia, Moab, Edom, and the Negev.

they mocked Together, the three groups mentioned represent the contempt of the nations surrounding Jerusalem and the territory of Judah on all three sides—Samaria to the north, Ammon to the east, and Arabia to the south (the Mediterranean Sea borders Judah to the west).

What is this thing that you are doing A common formula of accusation in the ancient Near East (Judg 8:1).

Are you rebelling against the king The leaders of the opposition group themselves were guilty of what they were accusing Nehemiah of. They were aware that Nehemiah was acting with the king’s authority (Neh 2:9).

2:20 share, right, or memorial Nehemiah is claiming that the opponents of the Jews have no civic, legal, or religious rights in Jerusalem.