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Literal Standard Version

Nehemiah 2:5

and say to the king, "If [it is] good to the king, and if your servant is pleasing before you, that you send me to Judah, to the city of the graves of my fathers, and I have built it."

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.
Easy-to-Read Version
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."
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

1And it comes to pass, in the month of Nisan, the twentieth year of Artaxerxes the king, wine [is] before him, and I lift up the wine, and give to the king, and I had not been sad before him; 2and the king says to me, "Why [is] your face sad, and you not sick? This is nothing except sadness of heart"; and I fear very much, 3and say to the king, "Let the king live for all time! Why should my face not be sad, when the city, the place of the graves of my fathers, [is] a desolation, and its gates have been consumed with fire?" 4And the king says to me, "For what are you seeking?" And I pray to the God of the heavens, 5and say to the king, "If [it is] good to the king, and if your servant is pleasing before you, that you send me to Judah, to the city of the graves of my fathers, and I have built it."6And the king says to me (and the queen is sitting near him), "How long is your journey? And when do you return?" And it is good before the king, and he sends me away, and I set to him a time. 7And I say to the king, "If [it is] good to the king, let letters be given to me for the governors beyond the River, that they let me pass over until I come to Judah: 8and a letter to Asaph, keeper of the paradise that the king has, that he give to me trees for beams [for] the gates of the palace that the house has, and for the wall of the city, and for the house into which I enter"; and the king gives to me, according to the good hand of my God on 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
and YHWH God causes to sprout from the ground every tree desirable for appearance, and good for food, and the Tree of Life in the midst of the garden, and the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil.
Genesis 2:11
the name of the first [is] Pison, it [is] that which is surrounding the whole land of Havilah where the gold [is],
Genesis 2:12
and the gold of that land [is] good; the bdellium and the shoham stone [are] there;
Genesis 3:23
YHWH God sends him forth from the Garden of Eden to serve the ground from which he has been taken;
Genesis 4:2
and she adds to bear his brother, even Abel. And Abel is feeding a flock, and Cain has been servant of the ground.
Genesis 4:12
when you till the ground, it will not add to give its strength to you—a wanderer, even a trembling one, you are in the earth."
Job 5:10
Who is giving rain on the face of the land, || And is sending waters on the out-places.
Psalms 104:14
Causing grass to spring up for livestock, || And herb for the service of man, || To bring forth bread from the earth,
Psalms 135:7
Causing vapors to ascend from the end of the earth, || He has made lightnings for the rain, || Bringing forth wind from His treasures.
Jeremiah 14:22
Are there any among the vanities of the nations causing rain? And do the heavens give showers? Are You not He, O our God YHWH? And we wait for you, for You have done all these!

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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