نِحِميا 2:6

کتاب مقدس

6 پادشاه‌ مرا گفت‌ و مَلِكه‌ به‌ پهلوی‌ او نشسته‌ بود: «طول‌ سفرت‌ چه‌ قدر خواهد بود و كی‌ مراجعت‌ خواهی‌ نمود؟» پس‌ پادشاه‌ صواب‌ دید كه‌ مرا بفرستد و زمانی‌ برایش‌ تعیین‌ نمودم‌.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

the queen: Heb. the wife, It was probably Esther who was present at this time, and who seconded Nehemiah's request.

So it pleased: Nehemiah 2:4, Nehemiah 1:11, Isaiah 58:12, Isaiah 61:4, Isaiah 65:24

I set him a time: It is probable that this time was no more than six months, or a year; after which he either returned, or had his leave of absence lengthened, as we find he was twelve years governor of the Jews. Nehemiah 5:14, Nehemiah 13:6

Reciprocal: Isaiah 49:23 - kings

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And the king said unto me, the queen also sitting by him,.... Which it seems was not very common for the queens of Persia to dine with the kings their husbands; though this may be observed, not so much for the singularity of it, as for the providence of God in it, that so it should be, she having a good respect for Nehemiah, and the Jewish nation, and forwarded the king in his grant to him: if this king was Darius Hystaspis, this his queen was Atossa, daughter of Cyrus q, who might be the more friendly to the Jews, on account of her father's great regard unto them:

for how long shall thy journey be? and when wilt thou return? what time would he ask to do this business in? this shows the king had a great respect for him, and was loath to part with him, at least for any great length of time:

so it pleased the king to send me, when he promised to return unto him, not in twelve years, which was the time of his government in Judea, but in a lesser space, perhaps a year at most, since in less than two months the wall of Jerusalem was finished; and it may be that he then returned to the king of Persia, who sent him again under the character of a governor, finding it was for his interest to have such a man in those parts.

q Herodot. Polymnia, sive l. 7. c. 1.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

The queen - Though the Persian kings practiced polygamy, they always had one chief wife, who alone was recognized as “queen.” The chief wife of Longimanus was Damaspia.

I set him a time - Nehemiah appears to have stayed at Jerusalem twelve years from his first arrival Nehemiah 5:14; but he can scarcely have mentioned so long a term to the king. Probably his leave of absence was prolonged from time to time.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Nehemiah 2:6. The queen also sitting by him — Who probably forwarded his suit. This was not Esther, as Dean Prideaux supposes, nor perhaps the same Artaxerxes who had taken her to be queen; nor does שגל shegal signify queen, but rather harlot or concubine, she who was chief favourite. The Septuagint translate it παλλακη, harlot; and properly too. See the introduction.

I set him a time. — How long this time was we are not told; it is by no means likely that it was long, probably no more than six months or a year; after which he either returned, or had his leave of absence lengthened; for in the same year we find he was made governor of the Jews, in which office he continued twelve years, viz., from the twentieth to the thirty-second year of Artaxerxes, Nehemiah 5:14. He then returned to Susa; and after staying a short time, had leave to return to rectify some abuses that Tobiah the Ammonite had introduced into the temple, Nehemiah 13:6-7, and several others of which the people themselves were guilty. After having performed this service, it is likely he returned to the Persian king, and died in his office of cup-bearer; but of this latter circumstance we have no mention in the text.