Nehemiah 2:8
in Nehemiah 2And may I have a letter to Asaph, keeper of the king’s forest, so that he will give me timber to make beams for the gates of the citadel to the temple, for the city wall, and for the house I will occupy.” And because the gracious hand of my God was upon me, the king granted my requests.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
and a letter unto Asaph the keeper of the king’s forest, that he may give me timber to make beams for the gates of the castle which appertaineth to the house, and for the wall of the city, and for the house that I shall enter into. And the king granted me, according to the good hand of my God upon me.
KJV
And a letter unto Asaph the keeper of the king’s forest, that he may give me timber to make beams for the gates of the palace which appertained to the house, and for the wall of the city, and for the house that I shall enter into. And the king granted me, according to the good hand of my God upon me.
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This verse in Nehemiah 2
Commentary
10 notes on this verseAsaph the keeper of the king’s forest - הפרדס hapardes of the paradise of the king. This I believe is originally a Persian word; it frequently occurs in Arabic, ferdoos, and in Greek, παραδεισος, and in both signifies a pleasant garden, vineyard, pleasure garden, and what we call a paradise.
This site's exposition
may letters be given to me
on Nehemiah 2:7-9
Nehemiah asks for two kinds of paper. Letters "for the governors west of the Euphrates" grant safe passage, and a letter to Asaph, "keeper of the king’s forest," secures timber. The king grants it all, and Nehemiah names the reason: "the gracious hand of my God was upon me" (2:8).
This site's exposition
Asaph, keeper of the king’s forest
The word for forest is pardes, which Clarke traces to a Persian term for a pleasure garden, the source of the Greek word paradise. Wesley places the king's forest in Lebanon. The timber would make beams for the citadel gates, the city wall, and the house Nehemiah would occupy.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
King's forest - Of the forest of Lebanon, famous for choice trees. Palace - Of the king's palace, which was adjoining to the house of God. Enter - That I shall build to dwell in while I am there.
Here was an immediate answer to his prayer; for the seed of Jacob never sought the God of Jacob in vain. In the account he gives of the success of his petition he takes notice, 1.
And a letter unto Asaph the keeper of the king's forest,....
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
I set him a time--Considering the great despatch made in raising the walls, it is probable that this leave of absence was limited at first to a year or six months, after which he returned to his duties in Shushan.
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
according to the good hand of my God upon me--The piety of Nehemiah appears in every circumstance. The conception of his patriotic design, the favorable disposition of the king, and the success of the undertaking are all ascribed to God.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase
2 more voices on this verse
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
The king’s forest - Rather, park. The word used פרדס pardês; compare παράδεισος paradeisos, found only here, in Ecc 2:5, and in Son 4:13), is of Persian, or at any rate of Aryan origin. The Persians signified by pariyadeza a walled enclosure, ornamented with trees, either planted or of natural growth, and containing numerous wild animals. The “paradise” here mentioned must have been in the neighborhood of Jerusalem, and may have corresponded to the earlier “gardens of Solomon.” The palace - Rather, “the fortress.” The word in the original has the double meaning of “palace” and “fortress,” the fact being that in ancient times palaces were always fortified. “The fortress which pertained to the house (temple)” is first spoken of here. Under the Romans it was called “Antonia.”
Modern Voices1 voice
Nehemiah received more than permission—he received provision. God had softened the king's heart before Nehemiah even asked.
The words behind it
30 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וְאִגֶּ֡רֶת | veigeret | and a letter | H107 → | 10 times |
| אֶל־ | ʾel- | to | H413 → | 5510 times |
| אָסָף֩ | ʾasaf | Asaph | H623 → | 34 times |
| שֹׁמֵ֨ר | shomer | [the] keeper of | H8104 → | 468 times |
| הַפַּרְדֵּ֜ס | hapardes | the forest | H6508 → | |
| אֲשֶׁ֣ר | ʾasher | which | H834 → | 5497 times |
| לַמֶּ֗לֶךְ | lamelekh | [belongs] to the king | H4428 → | 2525 times |
| אֲשֶׁ֣ר | ʾasher | that | H834 → | 5497 times |
| יִתֶּן־ | yiten- | he will give | H5414 → | 2011 times |
| לִ֣י | li | to <the> me | ||
| עֵצִ֡ים | ʾetzim | wood<s> | H6086 → | 328 times |
| לְ֠קָרוֹת | lekarot | to make beams for | H7136 → | 27 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| שַׁעֲרֵ֨י | shaarei | [the] gates of | H8179 → | 374 times |
| הַבִּירָ֤ה | habirah | the citadel | H1002 → | 16 times |
| אֲשֶׁר־ | ʾasher- | which | H834 → | 5497 times |
| לַבַּ֙יִת֙ | labayit | [belongs] to the house | H1004 → | 2046 times |
| וּלְחוֹמַ֣ת | ulechomat | and for [the] wall of | H2346 → | 133 times |
| הָעִ֔יר | hair | the city | H5892 → | 1090 times |
| וְלַבַּ֖יִת | velabayit | and for the house | H1004 → | 2046 times |
| אֲשֶׁר־ | ʾasher- | which | H834 → | 5497 times |
| אָב֣וֹא | ʾavo' | I will go | H935 → | 2568 times |
| אֵלָ֑יו | ʾelav | into it | H413 → | 5510 times |
| וַיִּתֶּן־ | vaiyiten- | and he gave [them] | H5414 → | 2011 times |
| לִ֣י | li | to me | ||
| הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ | hamelekh | the king | H4428 → | 2525 times |
| כְּיַד־ | keyad- | according to [the] hand of | H3027 → | 1618 times |
| אֱלֹהַ֖י | ʾelohai | God my | H430 → | 2601 times |
| הַטּוֹבָ֥ה | hatovah | <the> good | H2896 → | 538 times |
| עָלָֽי׃ | ʾalai | on me | H5921 → | 5755 times |
וְאִגֶּ֡רֶתand a letter
veigeretH107 →10 times
אֶל־to
ʾel-H413 →5510 times
אָסָף֩Asaph
ʾasafH623 →34 times
שֹׁמֵ֨ר[the] keeper of
shomerH8104 →468 times
הַפַּרְדֵּ֜סthe forest
hapardesH6508 →
אֲשֶׁ֣רwhich
ʾasherH834 →5497 times
לַמֶּ֗לֶךְ[belongs] to the king
lamelekhH4428 →2525 times
אֲשֶׁ֣רthat
ʾasherH834 →5497 times
יִתֶּן־he will give
yiten-H5414 →2011 times
לִ֣יto <the> me
li
עֵצִ֡יםwood<s>
ʾetzimH6086 →328 times
לְ֠קָרוֹתto make beams for
lekarotH7136 →27 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
שַׁעֲרֵ֨י[the] gates of
shaareiH8179 →374 times
הַבִּירָ֤הthe citadel
habirahH1002 →16 times
אֲשֶׁר־which
ʾasher-H834 →5497 times
לַבַּ֙יִת֙[belongs] to the house
labayitH1004 →2046 times
וּלְחוֹמַ֣תand for [the] wall of
ulechomatH2346 →133 times
הָעִ֔ירthe city
hairH5892 →1090 times
וְלַבַּ֖יִתand for the house
velabayitH1004 →2046 times
אֲשֶׁר־which
ʾasher-H834 →5497 times
אָב֣וֹאI will go
ʾavo'H935 →2568 times
אֵלָ֑יוinto it
ʾelavH413 →5510 times
וַיִּתֶּן־and he gave [them]
vaiyiten-H5414 →2011 times
לִ֣יto me
li
הַמֶּ֔לֶךְthe king
hamelekhH4428 →2525 times
כְּיַד־according to [the] hand of
keyad-H3027 →1618 times
אֱלֹהַ֖יGod my
ʾelohaiH430 →2601 times
הַטּוֹבָ֥ה<the> good
hatovahH2896 →538 times
עָלָֽי׃on me
ʾalaiH5921 →5755 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Ezra 7:6this Ezra came up from Babylon. He was a scribe skilled in the Law of Moses, which the LORD, the God of Israel, had given. The king had granted Ezra all his requests, for…
it leads to
- Ezra 8:31
On the twelfth day of the first month we set out from the Ahava Canal to go to Jerusalem, and the hand of our God was upon us to protect us from the hands…
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Ezra 8:22
For I was ashamed to ask the king for an escort of soldiers and horsemen to protect us from our enemies on the road, since we had told him, “The hand of our God…
- Ezra 7:28
and who has shown me favor before the king, his counselors, and all his powerful officials. And because the hand of the LORD my God was upon me, I took courage and gathered the…
- Ezra 8:31
Through
Daniel 1:9Now God had granted Daniel favor and compassion from the chief official,
it leads to
- Genesis 39:21
the LORD was with him and extended kindness to him, granting him favor in the eyes of the prison warden.
- Psalms 106:46
He made them objects of compassion to all who held them captive.
- 1 Kings 8:50
May You forgive Your people who have sinned against You and all the transgressions they have committed against You, and may You grant them compassion in the eyes of their captors to show them…
- Proverbs 16:7
When a man’s ways please the LORD, He makes even the man’s enemies live at peace with him.
- Nehemiah 2:4
“What is your request?” replied the king. So I prayed to the God of heaven
- Genesis 39:21
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies3
On this verse
On this chapter
About Nehemiah
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Darren Stott, Delayed, Not Denied: The Purpose Behind God's Timing (blog); Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.