5 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." 6 Then the king said to me, the queen sitting beside him, "How long e will your journey be, and when will you return ?" So it pleased the king to send me, and I gave him a definite time . 7 And I said to the king , "If it please the king , let letters be given me for the governors of the provinces beyond the River , that they may allow me to pass through until e I come to Judah , 8 and a letter to Asaph the keeper of the king's forest , that he may give me timber to make beams for the gates of the fortress which is by the temple , for the wall of the city and for the house to which I will go ." And the king granted them to me because the good hand of my God was on me.
9 Then I came to the governors of the provinces beyond the River and gave them the king's letters . Now the king had sent with me officers of the army and horsemen . 10 When Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite official heard about it, it was very e displeasing to them that someone had come to seek the welfare of the sons of Israel .
11 So I came to Jerusalem and was there three days . 12 And I arose in the night , I and a few men with me. I did not tell anyone what my God was putting into my mind to do for Jerusalem and there was no animal with me except e the animal on which I was riding . 13 So I went out at night by the Valley Gate in the direction of the Dragon's Well and on to the Refuse Gate , inspecting the walls of Jerusalem which were broken down and its gates which were consumed by fire . 14 Then I passed on to the Fountain Gate and the King's Pool , but there was no place for my mount to pass . 15 So I went up at night by the ravine and inspected the wall . Then I entered the Valley Gate again and returned . 16 The officials did not know where I had gone or what I had done ; nor had I as yet told the Jews , the priests , the nobles , the officials or the rest who did the work . 17 Then I said to them, "You see the bad situation we are in, that Jerusalem is desolate and its gates burned by fire . Come , let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem so that we will no longer be a reproach ." 18 I told them how the hand of my God had been favorable to me and also about the king's words which he had spoken to me. Then they said , "Let us arise and build ." So they put their hands to the good work. 19 But when Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite official , and Geshem the Arab heard it, they mocked us and despised us and said , "What is this thing you are doing ? Are you rebelling against the king ?" 20 So I answered them and said to them, " The God of heaven will give us success ; therefore we His servants will arise and build , but you have no portion , right or memorial in Jerusalem ."
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Nehemiah 2:5-20
Commentary on Nehemiah 2:1-8
(Read Nehemiah 2:1-8)
Our prayers must be seconded with serious endeavours, else we mock God. We are not limited to certain moments in our addresses to the King of kings, but have liberty to go to him at all times; approaches to the throne of grace are never out of season. But the sense of God's displeasure and the afflictions of his people, are causes of sorrow to the children of God, under which no earthly delights can comfort. The king encouraged Nehemiah to tell his mind. This gave him boldness to speak; much more may the invitation Christ has given us to pray, and the promise that we shall speed, encourage us to come boldly to the throne of grace. Nehemiah prayed to the God of heaven, as infinitely above even this mighty monarch. He lifted up his heart to that God who understands the language of the heart. Nor should we ever engage in any pursuit in which it would be wrong for us thus to seek and expect the Divine direction, assistance, and blessing. There was an immediate answer to his prayer; for the seed of Jacob never sought the God of Jacob in vain.
Commentary on Nehemiah 2:9-18
(Read Nehemiah 2:9-18)
When Nehemiah had considered the matter, he told the Jews that God had put it into his heart to build the wall of Jerusalem. He does not undertake to do it without them. By stirring up ourselves and one another to that which is good, we strengthen ourselves and one another for it. We are weak in our duty, when we are cold and careless.
Commentary on Nehemiah 2:19-20
(Read Nehemiah 2:19-20)
The enmity of the serpent's seed against the cause of Christ is confined to no age or nation. The application to ourselves is plain. The church of God asks for our help. Is it not desolate, and exposed to assaults? Does the consideration of its low estate cause you any grief? Let not business, pleasure, or the support of a party so engage attention, as that Zion and her welfare shall be nothing to you.