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Wednesday, April 8th, 2026
Wednesday in Easter Week
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Read the Bible

Complete Jewish Bible

Nehemiah 2:9

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.

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.
Contemporary English Version
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.
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 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. 10 When Sanvalat the Horoni and Toviyah the servant, the ‘Amoni, heard about this, they were very displeased that someone had come to promote the welfare of the people of Isra'el. 11 So I reached Yerushalayim. After I had been there for three days, 12 I got up during the night, I and a few men with me. I hadn't told anyone what my God had put in my heart to do for Yerushalayim; and I didn't take any animal with me except the animal on which I was riding. 13 I went out by night through the Valley Gate, to the Dragon's Well and the Dung Gate, and inspected the places where the walls of Yerushalayim were broken down and where its gates had been burned down. 14 Then I went on to the Fountain Gate and the King's Pool, but there was no room for the animal under me to pass. 15 So I went up the valley in the dark and went on inspecting the wall; then I turned back, entered through the Valley Gate and returned, 16 without the officials' knowing where I had gone or what I had done. Till then, I hadn't said anything about this to the Judeans, cohanim, nobles, officials or anyone who would be responsible for the work. 17 Afterwards, I said to them, "You see what a sad state we are in, how Yerushalayim lies in ruins, with it gates burned up. Come, let's rebuild the wall of Yerushalayim, so that we won't continue in disgrace." 18 I also told them of the gracious hand of my God that had been on me, also what the king had said to me. They said, "Let's start building at once," and energetically set out to do this good work.

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
Adonai , God, planted a garden toward the east, in ‘Eden, and there he put the person whom he had formed.
Genesis 2:9
Out of the ground Adonai , God, caused to grow every tree pleasing in appearance and good for food, including the tree of life in the middle of the garden and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.
Genesis 2:17
except the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. You are not to eat from it, because on the day that you eat from it, it will become certain that you will die."
Genesis 3:3
but about the fruit of the tree in the middle of the garden God said, ‘You are neither to eat from it nor touch it, or you will die.'"
Deuteronomy 6:25
It will be righteousness for us if we are careful to obey all these mitzvot before Adonai our God, just as he ordered us to do.'"
Proverbs 3:18
She is a tree of life to those who grasp her; whoever holds fast to her will be made happy.
Proverbs 11:30
The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and he who is wise wins souls.
Isaiah 44:25
I frustrate false prophets and their omens, I make fools of diviners, I drive back the sages and make their wisdom look silly.
Isaiah 47:10
You were at ease in your wickedness, you thought, "No one sees me." Your "wisdom" and "knowledge" perverted you, as you thought to yourself, "I am important, and no one else."
Ezekiel 31:16
At the sound of his fall I made the nations shake, when I hurled him down to Sh'ol with those who descend to the pit. All the trees of ‘Eden, the pick of the best in the L'vanon, all that take up water, were consoled in the underworld.

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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