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Nehemiah 2:8

Old Testament Historical ASV (1901)

What does Nehemiah 2:8 say?

The American Standard Version records this verse as: “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.” Read the surrounding verses and the named sources below before drawing broader conclusions.

The verse

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.
Nehemiah 2:8 — American Standard Version

Context — Nehemiah 2

American Standard Version (1901) — public domain. Click any verse for its study page.
5And 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.
6And the king said unto me (the queen also sitting by him,) For how long shall thy journey be? and when wilt thou return? So it pleased the king to send me; and I set him a time.
7Moreover I said unto the king, If it please the king, let letters be given me to the governors beyond the River, that they may let me pass through till I come unto Judah;
8and 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.
9Then I came to the governors beyond the River, and gave them the king`s letters. Now the king had sent with me captains of the army and horsemen.
10And when Sanballat the Horonite, and Tobiah the servant, the Ammonite, heard of it, it grieved them exceedingly, for that there was come a man to seek the welfare of the children of Israel.
11So I came to Jerusalem, and was there three days.
← Nehemiah 2:7Nehemiah 2:9 →
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What do historical commentaries say?

John Gill's Exposition
John Gill (1697–1771) · Exposition of the Old and New Testament · 18th-century historical commentary
“And a letter unto Asaph the keeper of the king’s forest, etc.] The forest or mountain of Lebanon, which, because of its odoriferous and fruit bearing trees, was more like an orchard or paradise, as this word signifies, and so it is translated in (<210205>Ecclesiastes 2:5 <220413>Song of Solomon 4:13) and at the extreme part of it, it seems, there was a city called Paradisus f17; such an officer as here was among the Romans, called Saltuarius f18, and is now among us: that he may give me timber to make beams for the gates of the palace which appertaineth to the house; not the king’s palace near the temple, for that might have occasioned suspicion in the king, that his view was to set up…”
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Jamieson, Fausset & Brown
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown · Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible · 19th-century historical commentary
“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.”
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Barnes' Notes
Albert Barnes (1798–1870) · Notes on the Whole Bible · 19th-century historical commentary
“The king’s forest - Rather, park. The word used פרדס pardês; compare παράδεισος paradeisos, found only here, in Ecclesiastes 2:5, and in Song of Solomon 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…”
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Wesley's Explanatory Notes
John Wesley (1703–1791) · Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament and Old Testament notes · 18th-century historical commentary
“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. Nehemiah 2:10”
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Tyndale Open Study Notes
Tyndale House Publishers · Tyndale Open Study Notes · Modern study notes
“2:8 Temple fortress might refer to the Tower of Hananel or the Tower of the Hundred. • the gracious hand of God was on me: Nehemiah knew that the king granted these requests because God was sovereignly guiding the king to do so.”
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Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge
R. A. Torrey and contributors · The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge · Cross-reference reference work
“the wall: Neh 2:17, 3:1-32 the house: Neh 3:7, Neh 7:2 the king: Neh 2:18; Gen 32:28; Ezr 5:5, Ezr 6:22, Ezr 7:6, Ezr 7:9, Ezr 7:27, Ezr 7:28; Pro 21:1; Isa 66:14; Dan 1:9; Act 7:10, Act 26:22; Co2 8:16 Nehemiah 2:9”
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Related study paths

Read Nehemiah 2 in contextBrowse Hebrew word studiesOpen this verse in the study reader

Sources and verification