Nehemiah 2:9 kjv
Then I came to the governors beyond the river, and gave them the king's letters. Now the king had sent captains of the army and horsemen with me.
Nehemiah 2:9 nkjv
Then I went to the governors in the region beyond the River, and gave them the king's letters. Now the king had sent captains of the army and horsemen with me.
Nehemiah 2:9 niv
So I went to the governors of Trans-Euphrates and gave them the king's letters. The king had also sent army officers and cavalry with me.
Nehemiah 2:9 esv
Then I came to the governors of the province Beyond the River and gave them the king's letters. Now the king had sent with me officers of the army and horsemen.
Nehemiah 2:9 nlt
When I came to the governors of the province west of the Euphrates River, I delivered the king's letters to them. The king, I should add, had sent along army officers and horsemen to protect me.
Nehemiah 2 9 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Prov 21:1 | The king's heart is a stream of water in the hand of the LORD; he turns it | God directs rulers. |
| Ezr 1:1-4 | In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia... decree throughout all his kingdom... building the house of the Lord... | Royal decrees facilitating God's plan. |
| Ezr 7:11-26 | This is a copy of the letter that King Artaxerxes gave to Ezra... to carry out God's law. | King's letters grant authority. |
| Est 3:12-13 | The king's scribes were summoned... letters were written... by the king's command. | Official letters for royal commands. |
| Est 8:9-10 | Scribes... wrote... as Mordecai commanded... letters were sent by mounted couriers. | Royal letters establishing authority/missions. |
| Neh 1:11 | "O Lord, let your ear be attentive to the prayer of your servant... grant him mercy in the sight of this man." | Prayer for royal favor. |
| Neh 2:8 | "...and the king granted them to me, for the good hand of my God was upon me." | Divine hand facilitates royal approval. |
| Neh 2:10 | But when Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite servant heard... it displeased them greatly that someone had come to seek the welfare... | Opposition arises despite royal protection. |
| Ps 121:7-8 | The LORD will keep you from all evil; he will keep your life. The LORD will keep your going out and your coming in. | God's protection during travel. |
| Prov 16:7 | When a man’s ways please the LORD, he makes even his enemies be at peace with him. | Favor from enemies. |
| Gen 39:21 | But the LORD was with Joseph and showed him steadfast love and granted him favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison. | God grants favor through human agents. |
| Exo 3:21 | And I will give this people favor in the sight of the Egyptians. | God gives favor even with authorities. |
| Isa 45:1 | Thus says the LORD to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have grasped, to subdue nations before him. | God uses gentile rulers for His purposes. |
| Dan 2:21 | He changes times and seasons; he removes kings and sets up kings; he gives wisdom to the wise. | God's sovereignty over kings. |
| Jos 1:9 | Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go. | Divine courage for daunting tasks. |
| Psa 27:1-3 | The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear?... Though an army encamp against me, my heart shall not fear. | Trust in God's protection. |
| Rom 13:1 | Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God. | Authority ordained by God. |
| Act 9:2 | And asked him for letters to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any belonging to the Way... he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. | Letters convey legal authority. |
| Act 18:27 | And when he wished to cross to Achaia, the brothers encouraged him and wrote to the disciples to welcome him. | Letters of commendation. |
| Act 25:12 | Then Festus, when he had conferred with his council, answered, “To Caesar you have appealed; to Caesar you will go.” | Imperial justice system involvement. |
| Act 26:1 | So Agrippa said to Paul, “You have permission to speak for yourself.” | Interaction with high authorities. |
| 1 Kgs 19:8 | And he arose and ate and drank, and went in the strength of that food forty days and forty nights to Horeb. | Sustenance for long journeys. |
| Luk 10:1 | After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them on ahead of him, two by two, into every town and place where he himself was about to go. | Commissioned messengers. |
| Job 1:10 | Have you not put a hedge around him and his house and all that he has, on every side? | Divine hedge of protection. |
| Zec 8:13 | So will I save you, and you will be a blessing. Fear not, but let your hands be strong. | Assurance for rebuilding/mission. |
| Pro 2:8 | He guards the paths of justice and watches over the way of his saints. | God guards His people's ways. |
Nehemiah 2 verses
Nehemiah 2 9 Meaning
Nehemiah 2:9 describes Nehemiah's arrival at the seat of Persian provincial administration west of the Euphrates River, where he presented official royal documents to the local governors. It further highlights that the king had provided a substantial military escort, including army captains and cavalry, to accompany Nehemiah on his journey, underscoring the imperial authority backing his mission.
Nehemiah 2 9 Context
Nehemiah chapter 2 marks the culmination of Nehemiah's four months of patient waiting and prayer in Susa. After revealing his sorrow to King Artaxerxes I, Nehemiah is granted not only permission to travel to Jerusalem to rebuild the city's walls but also material resources (lumber) and, as detailed in this verse, crucial imperial authorization in the form of letters to regional governors and a military escort for his protection. This journey marks the active beginning of the rebuilding project. The presence of the king's forces visibly broadcasts the mission's legitimacy and royal endorsement, preparing for the political and practical challenges that lay ahead in a provincially administered land. The broader historical context is the Persian Achaemenid Empire's reign (circa 445 BC), where Jerusalem was a minor city within the satrapy of Abar Nahara ("Beyond the River"), an administrative region encompassing territories west of the Euphrates.
Nehemiah 2 9 Word analysis
Then I came: This denotes a transition from Susa to the province of "Beyond the River." It emphasizes Nehemiah's personal execution of the king's mandate.
governors (פחוֹת - peḥôt): Aramaic/Hebrew term for "satraps" or "provincial governors." These were high-ranking officials appointed by the Persian king, exercising considerable authority over specific administrative regions within the vast empire. Nehemiah's interaction with them was essential for logistical support and avoiding obstacles.
of the region Beyond the River (עבר הנהר - 'Eber ha-Nahar): A specific administrative satrapy of the Persian Empire located west of the Euphrates River, extending to the Mediterranean coast. This was the governmental region that Jerusalem fell under, making the cooperation of these governors crucial for Nehemiah's project.
and gave them: Direct action of Nehemiah. He was not merely traveling through; he was engaging the local authorities directly and officially.
the king's letters (שׂפְרֵי - sifrê): Documents, writings, or official dispatches from King Artaxerxes. These letters were imperial decrees, carrying absolute legal and administrative authority throughout the Persian Empire. They likely specified Nehemiah's mission, the resources granted, and demanded cooperation from the governors. Such letters were the standard means of imperial communication and authorization.
Now the king had sent: Highlights the king's direct involvement and foresight in supporting Nehemiah. It points to God's hand working through the king.
captains of the army (שָׂרֵי הַצָּבָא - sā'rê haṣṣāḇā): Military commanders. Their presence signified that Nehemiah was a royal envoy with the backing of the imperial military force, not merely a private citizen.
and horsemen (וּפָרָשִׁים - ūp̄ārāšîm): Cavalry, typically elite and rapid-response military units. This emphasizes the significant and well-equipped nature of the military escort, providing protection, deterrence, and a clear display of royal power.
with me: Reinforces Nehemiah's direct protection and the personal nature of the king's provision for his safe travel.
Words-group Analysis:
- "governors of the region Beyond the River... the king's letters": This pairing illustrates Nehemiah navigating the official Persian bureaucracy. The letters provided the legal basis and imperial backing necessary to obtain the cooperation of powerful regional leaders who otherwise might have opposed or hindered the project.
- "captains of the army and horsemen with me": This phrase conveys the visible, tangible protection and authority accompanying Nehemiah. This military escort served multiple purposes: personal safety for Nehemiah, a clear signal of royal support for his mission, and a deterrent against immediate hostile actions from local adversaries, whose discontent is immediately apparent in the following verse.
Nehemiah 2 9 Bonus section
- The meticulous detailing of Nehemiah's diplomatic and security arrangements contrasts with Ezra's earlier journey where he declined a military escort, choosing to rely solely on God's provision (Ezr 8:22-23). Both approaches highlight differing but equally valid expressions of faith and practical wisdom in distinct contexts.
- The phrase "Beyond the River" signifies not just a geographic location but a complex administrative entity of the Persian Empire, requiring high-level imperial authorization for any significant project within its bounds.
- The presence of army captains and horsemen served as an unmistakable warning to anyone contemplating obstructing the king's will, underscoring the weight and importance of Nehemiah's endeavor within the broader imperial structure.
Nehemiah 2 9 Commentary
Nehemiah 2:9 succinctly establishes the official commencement of Nehemiah's mission under clear imperial sanction. By presenting the king's letters to the powerful Persian governors in the province west of the Euphrates, Nehemiah activated the highest levels of imperial bureaucracy to facilitate his daunting task. The significant military escort, comprising army captains and horsemen, was not merely for Nehemiah's personal safety, but served as a formidable visual display of King Artaxerxes's unequivocal support for the rebuilding project. This imperial backing was crucial, offering protection and conferring legitimate authority to overcome anticipated opposition and navigate the complex political landscape, all of which unfolded under the invisible yet powerful "good hand of my God" (Neh 2:8).