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Friday, May 16th, 2025
the Fourth Week after Easter
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Contemporary English Version

Nehemiah 2:9

The king sent some army officers and cavalry troops along with me, and as I traveled through the Western Provinces, I gave the letters to the governors.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Country;   Government;   Letters;   Passports;   Scofield Reference Index - Israel;  

Dictionaries:

- Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Euphrates;   Persia;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Beyond the River;   Nehemiah;   Rivers and Waterways in the Bible;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Isaiah, Book of;   Nehemiah;   Nehemiah, Book of;   Priests and Levites;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Governor;   Persia;   Smith Bible Dictionary - Governor;   Per'sia;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Babylonish Captivity, the;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Captain;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
I went to the governors of the region west of the Euphrates and gave them the king’s letters. The king had also sent officers of the infantry and cavalry with me.
Hebrew Names Version
Then I came to the governors beyond the River, and gave them the king's letters. Now the king had sent with me captains of the army and horsemen.
King James Version
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.
English Standard Version
Then I came to the governors of the province Beyond the River and gave them the king's letters. Now the king had sent with me officers of the army and horsemen.
New Century Version
Then I went to the governors of Trans-Euphrates and gave them the king's letters. The king had also sent army officers and soldiers on horses with me.
New English Translation
Then I went to the governors of Trans-Euphrates, and I presented to them the letters from the king. The king had sent with me officers of the army and horsemen.
Amplified Bible
Then I came to the governors of the provinces beyond the [Euphrates] River and gave them the king's letters. Now the king had sent officers of the army and horsemen with me.
New American Standard Bible
Then I came to the governors of the provinces beyond the Euphrates River and gave them the king's letters. Now the king had sent with me officers of the army and horsemen.
World English Bible
Then I came to the governors beyond the River, and gave them the king's letters. Now the king had sent with me captains of the army and horsemen.
Geneva Bible (1587)
Then came I to the captaines beyonde the Riuer, and gaue them the Kings letters. And the King had sent captaines of the armie and horsemen with me.
Legacy Standard Bible
Then I came to the governors of the provinces beyond the River and gave them the king's letters. Now the king had sent with me commanders of the military force and horsemen.
Berean Standard Bible
Then I went to the governors west of the Euphrates and gave them the king's letters. The king had also sent army officers and cavalry with me.
Complete Jewish Bible
I went to the governors of the territory beyond the River and gave them the king's letters. The king had sent with me an escort of army captains and cavalry.
Darby Translation
And I came to the governors beyond the river, and gave them the king's letters. Now the king had sent captains of a force and horsemen with me.
Easy-to-Read Version
So I went to the governors of the area west of the Euphrates River and gave them the letters from the king. The king had also sent army officers and soldiers on horses with me.
George Lamsa Translation
Then I came to the governor beyond the River, and I gave him the kings letter. Now the king had sent a commander of the horsemen with me.
Good News Translation
The emperor sent some army officers and a troop of cavalry with me, and I made the journey to West-of-Euphrates. There I gave the emperor's letters to the governors.
Lexham English Bible
I came to the governors of the province Beyond the River, and I gave them the letters of the king. Then the king sent troop commanders and horses with me.
Literal Translation
Then I came to the governors of the province Beyond the River, and gave them the king's letters. And the king had sent army commanders and horsemen with me.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
And whan I came to ye Debites beyonde the water, I gaue them ye kynges letters. And the kynge sent captaynes and horsmen with me.
American Standard Version
Then I came to the governors beyond the River, and gave them the king's letters. Now the king had sent with me captains of the army and horsemen.
Bible in Basic English
Then I came to the rulers of the lands across the river and gave them the king's letters. Now the king had sent with me captains of the army and horsemen.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
And when I came to the captaynes beyonde the water, I gaue them the kinges letters: And the king had sent captaynes of the armie and horsemen with me.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
Then I came to the governors beyond the River, and gave them the king's letters. Now the king had sent with me captains of the army and horsemen.
King James Version (1611)
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.)
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And I came to the governors beyond the river, and I gave them the king’s letters. (Now the king had sent with me captains of the army and horsemen.)
English Revised Version
Then I came to the governors beyond the river, and gave them the king's letters. Now the king had sent with me captains of the army and horsemen.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And Y cam to the duykis of the cuntrei biyende the flood, and Y yaf to hem the pistlis of the kyng. Sotheli the kyng `hadde sent with me the princes of knyytis, and horsemen.
Update Bible Version
Then I came to the governors beyond the River, and gave them the king's letters. Now the king had sent with me captains of the army and horsemen.
Webster's Bible Translation
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.
New King James Version
Then I went to the governors in the region beyond the River, and gave them the king's letters. Now the king had sent captains of the army and horsemen with me.
New Living Translation
When I came to the governors of the province west of the Euphrates River, I delivered the king's letters to them. The king, I should add, had sent along army officers and horsemen to protect me.
New Life Bible
Then I came to the leaders of the lands on the other side of the River and gave them the letters. Now the king had sent army captains and horsemen with me.
New Revised Standard
Then I came to the governors of the province Beyond the River, and gave them the king's letters. Now the king had sent officers of the army and cavalry with me.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Then came I unto the pashas Beyond the River, and gave them the letters of the king, - now the king, had sent with me, captains of the army, and horsemen.
Douay-Rheims Bible
And I came to the governors of the country beyond the river, and gave them the king’s letters. And the king had sent with me captains of soldiers, and horsemen.
Revised Standard Version
Then I came to the governors of the province Beyond the River, and gave them the king's letters. Now the king had sent with me officers of the army and horsemen.
Young's Literal Translation
And I come in unto the governors beyond the River, and give to them the letters of the king; and the king sendeth with me heads of a force, and horsemen;
THE MESSAGE
It was the month of Nisan in the twentieth year of Artaxerxes the king. At the hour for serving wine I brought it in and gave it to the king. I had never been hangdog in his presence before, so he asked me, "Why the long face? You're not sick are you? Or are you depressed?" That made me all the more agitated. I said, "Long live the king! And why shouldn't I be depressed when the city, the city where all my family is buried, is in ruins and the city gates have been reduced to cinders?" The king then asked me, "So what do you want?" Praying under my breath to the God-of-Heaven, I said, "If it please the king, and if the king thinks well of me, send me to Judah, to the city where my family is buried, so that I can rebuild it." The king, with the queen sitting alongside him, said, "How long will your work take and when would you expect to return?" I gave him a time, and the king gave his approval to send me. Then I said, "If it please the king, provide me with letters to the governors across the Euphrates that authorize my travel through to Judah; and also an order to Asaph, keeper of the king's forest, to supply me with timber for the beams of The Temple fortress, the wall of the city, and the house where I'll be living." The generous hand of my God was with me in this and the king gave them to me. When I met the governors across The River (the Euphrates) I showed them the king's letters. The king even sent along a cavalry escort.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
Then I came to the governors of the provinces beyond the River and gave them the king's letters. Now the king had sent with me officers of the army and horsemen.

Contextual Overview

9 The king sent some army officers and cavalry troops along with me, and as I traveled through the Western Provinces, I gave the letters to the governors. 10 But when Sanballat from Horon and Tobiah the Ammonite official heard about what had happened, they became very angry, because they didn't want anyone to help the people of Israel. 11 Three days after arriving in Jerusalem, 12 I got up during the night and left my house. I took some men with me, without telling anyone what I thought God wanted me to do for the city. The only animal I took was the donkey I rode on. 13 I went through Valley Gate on the west, then south past Dragon Spring, before coming to Garbage Gate. As I rode along, I took a good look at the crumbled walls of the city and the gates that had been torn down and burned. 14 On the east side of the city, I headed north to Fountain Gate and King's Pool, but then the trail became too narrow for my donkey. 15 So I went down to Kidron Valley and looked at the wall from there. Then before daylight I returned to the city through Valley Gate. 16 None of the city officials knew what I had in mind. And I had not even told any of the Jews—not the priests, the leaders, the officials, or any other Jews who would be helping in the work. 17 But when I got back, I said to them, "Jerusalem is truly in a mess! The gates have been torn down and burned, and everything is in ruins. We must rebuild the city wall so that we can again take pride in our city." 18 Then I told them how kind God had been and what the king had said. Immediately, they replied, "Let's start building now!" So they got everything ready.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

to the governors: Nehemiah 2:7

Now the: Ezra 8:22

Reciprocal: Jeremiah 30:21 - nobles

Cross-References

Genesis 2:8
The Lord made a garden in a place called Eden, which was in the east, and he put the man there.
Genesis 2:9
The Lord God placed all kinds of beautiful trees and fruit trees in the garden. Two other trees were in the middle of the garden. One of the trees gave life—the other gave the power to know the difference between right and wrong.
Genesis 2:17
except the one that has the power to let you know the difference between right and wrong. If you eat any fruit from that tree, you will die before the day is over!"
Genesis 3:3
except the one in the middle. He told us not to eat fruit from that tree or even to touch it. If we do, we will die."
Proverbs 3:18
Wisdom is a life-giving tree, the source of happiness for all who hold on to her.
Proverbs 11:30
Live right, and you will eat from the life-giving tree. And if you act wisely, others will follow.
Isaiah 44:25
I make liars of false prophets and fools of fortunetellers. I take human wisdom and turn it into nonsense.
Isaiah 47:10
You hid behind evil like a shield and said, "No one can see me!" You were fooled by your wisdom and your knowledge; you felt sure that you alone were in full control.
Ezekiel 31:16
This tree will crash to the ground, and I will send it to the world below. Then the nations of the earth will tremble. The trees from Eden and the choice trees from Lebanon are now in the world of the dead, and they will be comforted when this tree falls.
Ezekiel 31:18
King of Egypt, all these things will happen to you and your people! You were like this tree at one time—taller and stronger than anyone on earth. But now you will be chopped down, just as every tree in the garden of Eden must die. You will be sent down to the world of the dead, where you will join the godless and the other victims of violent death. I, the Lord God, have spoken.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Then I came to the governors beyond the river,.... Who these governors were, whether the same who were in the second year of this king's reign eighteen years ago, Tatnai and Shetharboznai, is not certain:

now the king had sent captains of the army and horsemen with me; both to do him honour, and for his safety; and coming thus attended, must serve to recommend him to the governor, who received him from them at the river Euphrates, and conducted him to Judah.


 
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