Lectionary Calendar
Saturday, July 5th, 2025
the Week of Proper 8 / Ordinary 13
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Easy-to-Read Version

Nehemiah 2:5

Then I answered the king, "If it would please the king, and if I have been good to you, please send me to Jerusalem, the city in Judah where my ancestors are buried. I want to go there and rebuild that city."

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Country;   Nehemiah;   Scofield Reference Index - Israel;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Burial;  

Dictionaries:

- Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Artaxerxes;   Canon;   Israel;   Jerusalem;   Malachi;   Persia;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Grave;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Prayer;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Ezra, the Book of;   Nehemiah, the Book of;   Persia;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Artaxerxes;   Nehemiah;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Isaiah, Book of;   Nehemiah;   Nehemiah, Book of;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Tomb, Grave, Sepulchre;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Persia;   Smith Bible Dictionary - Per'sia;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Babylonish Captivity, the;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Good;   Self-Surrender;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Patriotism;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
and answered the king, “If it pleases the king, and if your servant has found favor with you, send me to Judah and to the city where my ancestors are buried, so that I may rebuild it.”
Hebrew Names Version
I said to the king, If it please the king, and if your servant have found favor in your sight, that you would send me to Yehudah, to the city of my fathers' tombs, that I may build it.
King James Version
And I said unto the king, If it please the king, and if thy servant have found favour in thy sight, that thou wouldest send me unto Judah, unto the city of my fathers' sepulchres, that I may build it.
English Standard Version
And I said to the king, "If it pleases the king, and if your servant has found favor in your sight, that you send me to Judah, to the city of my fathers' graves, that I may rebuild it."
New Century Version
Then I answered the king, "If you are willing and if I have pleased you, send me to the city in Judah where my ancestors are buried so I can rebuild it."
New English Translation
and said to the king, "If the king is so inclined and if your servant has found favor in your sight, dispatch me to Judah, to the city with the graves of my ancestors, so that I can rebuild it."
Amplified Bible
I said to the king, "If it pleases the king, and if your servant has found favor in your presence, [I ask] that you send me to Judah, to the city of my fathers' tombs, so that I may rebuild it."
New American Standard Bible
Then I said to the king, "If it pleases the king, and if your servant has found favor before you, I request that you send me to Judah, to the city of my fathers' tombs, that I may rebuild it."
World English Bible
I said to the king, If it please the king, and if your servant have found favor in your sight, that you would send me to Judah, to the city of my fathers' tombs, that I may build it.
Geneva Bible (1587)
And sayde vnto the King, If it please the King, and if thy seruant haue found fauour in thy sight, I desire that thou wouldest send me to Iudah vnto the city of the sepulchres of my fathers, that I may buyld it.
Legacy Standard Bible
I said to the king, "If it is good for the king, and if your servant is good before you, send me to Judah, to the city of my fathers' tombs, that I may rebuild it."
Berean Standard Bible
and answered the king, "If it pleases the king, and if your servant has found favor in your sight, I ask that you send me to Judah, to the city where my fathers are buried, so that I may rebuild it."
Contemporary English Version
Then I told the king, "Sir, if it's all right with you, please send me back to Judah, so that I can rebuild the city where my ancestors are buried."
Complete Jewish Bible
then said to the king, "If it pleases the king, if your servant has won your favor, send me to Y'hudah, to the city of my ancestors' tombs, so that I can rebuild it."
Darby Translation
And I said to the king, If it please the king, and if thy servant have found favour in thy sight, that thou wouldest send me to Judah, to the city of my fathers' sepulchres, that I may build it.
George Lamsa Translation
And I said to the king, If it please the king, and if your servant has found favor in your sight, that you would send me to Judah, to the city of David, to my fathers sepulchres, that I may rebuild it.
Good News Translation
and then I said to the emperor, "If Your Majesty is pleased with me and is willing to grant my request, let me go to the land of Judah, to the city where my ancestors are buried, so that I can rebuild the city."
Lexham English Bible
Then I said to the king, "If it pleases the king, and if your servant has found favor in your presence, I ask that you send me to Judah, to the city of my ancestors' burial sites, so that I may rebuild it."
Literal Translation
and I said to the king, If it please the king, and if your servant has found favor in your sight, that you would send me to Judah to the city of my fathers' tombs, so that I might build it.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
and sayde vnto the kynge: yf it please the kynge, and yf thy seruaunt be fauoured in thy sighte, I beseke the sende me in to Iuda vnto ye cite of my fathers buryall, that I maye buylde it.
American Standard Version
And I said unto the king, If it please the king, and if thy servant have found favor in thy sight, that thou wouldest send me unto Judah, unto the city of my fathers' sepulchres, that I may build it.
Bible in Basic English
And I said to the king, If it is the king's pleasure, and if your servant has your approval, send me to Judah, to the town where the bodies of my fathers are at rest, so that I may take in hand the building of it.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
And sayd vnto the king: If it please the king, and if thy seruaunt haue founde fauour in thy sight, sende me vnto Iuda vnto the citie of my fathers burialles, that I may buylde it.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
And I said unto the king: 'If it please the king, and if thy servant have found favour in thy sight, that thou wouldest send me unto Judah, unto the city of my fathers' sepulchres, that I may build it.'
King James Version (1611)
And I said vnto the king, If it please the king, and if thy seruant haue found fauour in thy sight, that thou wouldest send me vnto Iudah vnto the City of my fathers sepulchres, that I may build it.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And I said to the king, If it seem good to the king, and if thy servant shall have found favour in thy sight, I ask that thou wouldest send him into Juda, to the city of the sepulchres of my fathers; then will I rebuild it.
English Revised Version
And I said unto the king, If it please the king, and if thy servant have found favour in thy sight, that thou wouldest send me unto Judah, unto the city of my fathers' sepulchres, that I may build it.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
and seide to the kyng, If it semeth good to the kyng, and if it plesith thi seruauntis bifor thi face, Y biseche, that thou sende me in to Judee, to the citee of the sepulcre of my fadir, and Y schal bilde it.
Update Bible Version
And I said to the king, If it pleases the king, and if your slave has found favor in your sight, that you would send me to Judah, to the city of my fathers' tombs, that I may build it.
Webster's Bible Translation
And I said to the king, If it should please the king, and if thy servant hath found favor in thy sight, that thou wouldst send me to Judah, to the city of my fathers' sepulchers, that I may build it.
New King James Version
And I said to the king, "If it pleases the king, and if your servant has found favor in your sight, I ask that you send me to Judah, to the city of my fathers' tombs, that I may rebuild it."
New Living Translation
I replied, "If it please the king, and if you are pleased with me, your servant, send me to Judah to rebuild the city where my ancestors are buried."
New Life Bible
And I said to the king, "If it pleases the king, and if your servant has found favor in your eyes, send me to Judah, to the city of my fathers' graves. Let me build it again."
New Revised Standard
Then I said to the king, "If it pleases the king, and if your servant has found favor with you, I ask that you send me to Judah, to the city of my ancestors' graves, so that I may rebuild it."
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
and then said unto the king, If, unto the king, it seemeth good, and if thy servant might find favour before thee, That thou wouldst send me unto Judah, unto the city of the sepulchres of my fathers, that I might build it.
Douay-Rheims Bible
And I said to the king: If it seem good to the king, and if thy servant hath found favour in thy sight, that thou wouldst send me into Judea to the city of the sepulchre of my father, and I will build it.
Revised Standard Version
And I said to the king, "If it pleases the king, and if your servant has found favor in your sight, that you send me to Judah, to the city of my fathers' sepulchres, that I may rebuild it."
Young's Literal Translation
and say to the king, `If to the king [it be] good, and if thy servant be pleasing before thee, that thou send me unto Judah, unto the city of the graves of my fathers, and I built it.'
New American Standard Bible (1995)
I said to the king, "If it please the king, and if your servant has found favor before you, send me to Judah, to the city of my fathers' tombs, that I may rebuild it."

Contextual Overview

1 In the month of Nisan in the 20th year of King Artaxerxes, some wine was brought to the king. I took the wine and gave it to the king. I had never before been sad when I was with him, but now I was sad. 2 So the king asked me, "Are you sick? Why do you look sad? I think your heart is full of sadness." Then I was very afraid. 3 But even though I was afraid, I said to the king, "May the king live forever! I am sad because the city where my ancestors are buried lies in ruins, and the gates of that city have been destroyed by fire." 4 Then the king said to me, "What do you want me to do?" Before I answered, I prayed to the God of heaven. 5 Then I answered the king, "If it would please the king, and if I have been good to you, please send me to Jerusalem, the city in Judah where my ancestors are buried. I want to go there and rebuild that city." 6 The king and the queen who was sitting next to him asked me, "How long will your trip take? When will you get back here?" The king was happy to send me, so I gave him a certain time. 7 I also said to the king, "If it would please the king to do something else for me, let me ask. Please give me some letters to show the governors of the area west of the Euphrates River. I need these letters so that the governors will give me permission to pass safely through their lands on my way to Judah. 8 I also need lumber for the heavy wooden beams for the gates, the walls, the walls around the Temple, and my house. So I need a letter from you to Asaph, who is in charge of your forests." The king gave me the letters and everything I asked for. The king did that because my God was kind to me.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

If it please: Ezra 5:17, Esther 1:19, Esther 5:8, Esther 7:3, Esther 8:5

and if thy: Ruth 2:13, 2 Samuel 14:22, Proverbs 3:4

Reciprocal: Genesis 30:27 - favour Genesis 39:4 - Joseph Genesis 47:30 - General Nehemiah 13:6 - after certain days Isaiah 58:12 - build

Cross-References

Genesis 2:9
Then the Lord God caused all the beautiful trees that were good for food to grow in the garden. In the middle of the garden, he put the tree of life and the tree that gives knowledge about good and evil.
Genesis 2:11
The name of the first river was Pishon. This river flowed around the entire country of Havilah.
Genesis 2:12
(There is gold in that country, and that gold is pure. A kind of expensive perfume and onyx are also found there.)
Genesis 3:23
So the Lord God forced the man out of the Garden of Eden to work the ground he was made from.
Genesis 4:2
Eve gave birth again to Cain's brother Abel. Abel became a shepherd, and Cain became a farmer.
Genesis 4:12
Now when you work the soil, the ground will not help your plants grow. You will not have a home in this land. You will wander from place to place."
Job 5:10
He sends rain all over the earth and waters the fields.
Psalms 104:14
You make the grass grow to feed the animals. You provide plants for the crops we grow— the plants that give us food from the earth.
Psalms 135:7
He brings the clouds from the other side of the earth. He sends the lightning and the rain, and he opens the doors to release the winds.
Jeremiah 14:22
Foreign idols don't have the power to bring rain. The sky does not have the power to send down showers of rain. You, the Lord our God, are our only hope. You are the one who made all these things.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And I said unto the king; if it please the king, and if thy servant have found favour in thy sight,.... He submits what he had to say wholly to the pleasure of the king, and puts it upon his unmerited favour, and not on any desert of his own:

that thou wouldest send me unto Judah, unto the city of my fathers' sepulchres, that I may build it; the wall of it, and the houses in it; the favour was, that he might have leave to go thither, and set about such a work, for which he was so much concerned.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Nehemiah 2:5. The city of my fathers' sepulchres — The tombs of the dead were sacred among the ancients, and nothing could appear to them more detestable than disturbing the ashes or remains of the dead. Nehemiah knew that in mentioning this circumstance he should strongly interest the feelings of the Persian king.


 
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