Lectionary Calendar
Friday, December 19th, 2025
the Third Week of Advent
the Third Week of Advent
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Read the Bible
Good News Translation
Nehemiah 2:4
The emperor asked, "What is it that you want?" I prayed to the God of Heaven,
Jump to:Bible Study Tools • Parallel Bible Verse • Bible Contextual Overview • Bible Cross-References • Gill's Bible Notes • Clarke's Bible Notes • Barnes' Bible Notes
Bible Study Resources
Concordances:
- Nave'sDictionaries:
- AmericanEncyclopedias:
- CondensedParallel Translations
Christian Standard Bible®
Then the king asked me, “What is your request?”
Then the king asked me, “What is your request?”
Hebrew Names Version
Then the king said to me, For what do you make request? So I prayed to the God of heaven.
Then the king said to me, For what do you make request? So I prayed to the God of heaven.
King James Version
Then the king said unto me, For what dost thou make request? So I prayed to the God of heaven.
Then the king said unto me, For what dost thou make request? So I prayed to the God of heaven.
English Standard Version
Then the king said to me, "What are you requesting?" So I prayed to the God of heaven.
Then the king said to me, "What are you requesting?" So I prayed to the God of heaven.
New Century Version
Then the king said to me, "What do you want?" First I prayed to the God of heaven.
Then the king said to me, "What do you want?" First I prayed to the God of heaven.
New English Translation
The king responded, "What is it you are seeking?" Then I quickly prayed to the God of heaven
The king responded, "What is it you are seeking?" Then I quickly prayed to the God of heaven
Amplified Bible
The king said to me, "What do you request?" So I prayed to the God of heaven.
The king said to me, "What do you request?" So I prayed to the God of heaven.
New American Standard Bible
Then the king said to me, "What would you request?" So I prayed to the God of heaven.
Then the king said to me, "What would you request?" So I prayed to the God of heaven.
World English Bible
Then the king said to me, For what do you make request? So I prayed to the God of heaven.
Then the king said to me, For what do you make request? So I prayed to the God of heaven.
Geneva Bible (1587)
And the King said vnto me, For what thing doest thou require? Then I prayed to the God of heauen,
And the King said vnto me, For what thing doest thou require? Then I prayed to the God of heauen,
Legacy Standard Bible
Then the king said to me, "What would you request?" So I prayed to the God of heaven.
Then the king said to me, "What would you request?" So I prayed to the God of heaven.
Berean Standard Bible
"What is your request?" replied the king. So I prayed to the God of heaven
"What is your request?" replied the king. So I prayed to the God of heaven
Contemporary English Version
The king asked, "What do you want me to do?" I prayed to the God who rules from heaven.
The king asked, "What do you want me to do?" I prayed to the God who rules from heaven.
Complete Jewish Bible
The king asked me, "What is it that you want?" I prayed to the God of heaven,
The king asked me, "What is it that you want?" I prayed to the God of heaven,
Darby Translation
And the king said to me, For what dost thou make request? So I prayed to the God of the heavens.
And the king said to me, For what dost thou make request? So I prayed to the God of the heavens.
Easy-to-Read Version
Then the king said to me, "What do you want me to do?" Before I answered, I prayed to the God of heaven.
Then the king said to me, "What do you want me to do?" Before I answered, I prayed to the God of heaven.
George Lamsa Translation
Then the king said to me, For what did you make supplications and pray before the God of heaven?
Then the king said to me, For what did you make supplications and pray before the God of heaven?
Lexham English Bible
Then the king said to me, "What is your request?" So I prayed to the God of the heavens.
Then the king said to me, "What is your request?" So I prayed to the God of the heavens.
Literal Translation
Then the king said to me, For what do you ask? So I prayed to the God of Heaven,
Then the king said to me, For what do you ask? So I prayed to the God of Heaven,
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Then sayde the kynge vnto me: What is the thy request? Then made I my prayer to the God of heaue,
Then sayde the kynge vnto me: What is the thy request? Then made I my prayer to the God of heaue,
American Standard Version
Then the king said unto me, For what dost thou make request? So I prayed to the God of heaven.
Then the king said unto me, For what dost thou make request? So I prayed to the God of heaven.
Bible in Basic English
Then the king said to me, What is your desire? So I made prayer to the God of heaven.
Then the king said to me, What is your desire? So I made prayer to the God of heaven.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
And the king sayde vnto me: What is then thy request? I made my prayer also to the God of heauen,
And the king sayde vnto me: What is then thy request? I made my prayer also to the God of heauen,
JPS Old Testament (1917)
Then the king said unto me: 'For what dost thou make request?' So I prayed to the God of heaven.
Then the king said unto me: 'For what dost thou make request?' So I prayed to the God of heaven.
King James Version (1611)
Then the king said vnto me, For what doest thou make request? So I prayed to the God of heauen.
Then the king said vnto me, For what doest thou make request? So I prayed to the God of heauen.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And the king said to me, For what dost thou ask thus? So I prayed to the God of heaven.
And the king said to me, For what dost thou ask thus? So I prayed to the God of heaven.
English Revised Version
Then the king said unto me, For what dost thou make request? So I prayed to the God of heaven.
Then the king said unto me, For what dost thou make request? So I prayed to the God of heaven.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And the kyng seide to me, For what thing axist thou? And Y preiede God of heuene,
And the kyng seide to me, For what thing axist thou? And Y preiede God of heuene,
Update Bible Version
Then the king said to me, For what do you make request? So I prayed to the God of heaven.
Then the king said to me, For what do you make request? So I prayed to the God of heaven.
Webster's Bible Translation
Then the king said to me, For what dost thou make request? So I prayed to the God of heaven.
Then the king said to me, For what dost thou make request? So I prayed to the God of heaven.
New King James Version
Then the king said to me, "What do you request?" So I prayed to the God of heaven.
Then the king said to me, "What do you request?" So I prayed to the God of heaven.
New Living Translation
The king asked, "Well, how can I help you?" With a prayer to the God of heaven,
The king asked, "Well, how can I help you?" With a prayer to the God of heaven,
New Life Bible
Then the king said to me, "What are you asking for?" So I prayed to the God of heaven.
Then the king said to me, "What are you asking for?" So I prayed to the God of heaven.
New Revised Standard
Then the king said to me, "What do you request?" So I prayed to the God of heaven.
Then the king said to me, "What do you request?" So I prayed to the God of heaven.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Then the king said to me, Concerning what, is it, thou, wouldst make request? So I prayed unto the God of the heavens,
Then the king said to me, Concerning what, is it, thou, wouldst make request? So I prayed unto the God of the heavens,
Douay-Rheims Bible
Then the king said to me: For what dost thou make request? And I prayed to the God of heaven,
Then the king said to me: For what dost thou make request? And I prayed to the God of heaven,
Revised Standard Version
Then the king said to me, "For what do you make request?" So I prayed to the God of heaven.
Then the king said to me, "For what do you make request?" So I prayed to the God of heaven.
Young's Literal Translation
And the king saith to me, `For what art thou seeking?' and I pray unto the God of the heavens,
And the king saith to me, `For what art thou seeking?' and I pray unto the God of the heavens,
THE MESSAGE
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 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."
New American Standard Bible (1995)
Then the king said to me, "What would you request?" So I prayed to the God of heaven.
Then the king said to me, "What would you request?" So I prayed to the God of heaven.
Contextual Overview
1 One day four months later, when Emperor Artaxerxes was dining, I took the wine to him. He had never seen me look sad before, 2 so he asked, "Why are you looking so sad? You aren't sick, so it must be that you're unhappy." I was startled 3 and answered, "May Your Majesty live forever! How can I keep from looking sad when the city where my ancestors are buried is in ruins and its gates have been destroyed by fire?" 4 The emperor asked, "What is it that you want?" I prayed to the God of Heaven, 5 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." 6 The emperor, with the empress sitting at his side, approved my request. He asked me how long I would be gone and when I would return, and I told him. 7 Then I asked him to grant me the favor of giving me letters to the governors of West-of-Euphrates Province, instructing them to let me travel to Judah. 8 I asked also for a letter to Asaph, keeper of the royal forests, instructing him to supply me with timber for the gates of the fort that guards the Temple, for the city walls, and for the house I was to live in. The emperor gave me all I asked for, because God was with me.
Bible Verse Review
from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge
For what: 1 Kings 3:5, Esther 5:3, Esther 5:6, Esther 7:2, Mark 10:51
So I prayed: Nehemiah 1:4, Nehemiah 1:11, 2 Samuel 15:31, Proverbs 3:6, Philippians 4:6
Reciprocal: Genesis 24:12 - I pray Genesis 24:45 - speaking Genesis 39:4 - Joseph 1 Samuel 1:13 - spake 1 Kings 8:50 - and give them Nehemiah 2:6 - So it pleased Nehemiah 2:20 - The God Proverbs 21:1 - The king's Proverbs 22:11 - the king Isaiah 49:17 - children Jeremiah 29:12 - General Jeremiah 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
Cross-References
Genesis 1:1
In the beginning, when God created the universe,
In the beginning, when God created the universe,
Genesis 1:4
God was pleased with what he saw. Then he separated the light from the darkness,
God was pleased with what he saw. Then he separated the light from the darkness,
Genesis 1:28
blessed them, and said, "Have many children, so that your descendants will live all over the earth and bring it under their control. I am putting you in charge of the fish, the birds, and all the wild animals.
blessed them, and said, "Have many children, so that your descendants will live all over the earth and bring it under their control. I am putting you in charge of the fish, the birds, and all the wild animals.
Genesis 1:31
God looked at everything he had made, and he was very pleased. Evening passed and morning came—that was the sixth day.
God looked at everything he had made, and he was very pleased. Evening passed and morning came—that was the sixth day.
Genesis 2:1
And so the whole universe was completed.
And so the whole universe was completed.
Genesis 2:2
By the seventh day God finished what he had been doing and stopped working.
By the seventh day God finished what he had been doing and stopped working.
Genesis 5:1
This is the list of the descendants of Adam. (When God created human beings, he made them like himself.
This is the list of the descendants of Adam. (When God created human beings, he made them like himself.
Genesis 10:1
These are the descendants of Noah's sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth. These three had sons after the flood.
These are the descendants of Noah's sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth. These three had sons after the flood.
Genesis 11:10
These are the descendants of Shem. Two years after the flood, when Shem was 100 years old, he had a son, Arpachshad.
These are the descendants of Shem. Two years after the flood, when Shem was 100 years old, he had a son, Arpachshad.
Genesis 25:12
Ishmael, whom Hagar, the Egyptian slave of Sarah, bore to Abraham,
Ishmael, whom Hagar, the Egyptian slave of Sarah, bore to Abraham,
Gill's Notes on the Bible
Then the king said unto me, for what dost thou make request?.... The king supposed that there was a meaning in those looks and words of his, that he had a favour to ask of him, and therefore encourages him to it; or the king of himself moved this, as being desirous of doing anything for him he would propose, to make him easy:
so I prayed to the God of heaven; secretly, in an ejaculatory way, giving him thanks for thus disposing the king's heart towards him, and entreating he might be directed what to ask, and in a proper manner, and that he might succeed.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible
I prayed to the God of heaven - Mentally and momentarily, before answering the king.
Clarke's Notes on the Bible
Verse Nehemiah 2:4. So I prayed to the God of heaven. — Before he dared to prefer his request to the king, he made his prayer to God, that his suit might be acceptable: and this he does by mental prayer. To the spirit of prayer every place is a praying place.
