(2) Wherefore the king said unto me, Why is thy countenance sad, seeing thou art not sick? this is nothing else but sorrow of heart. Then I was very sore afraid, (3) And said unto the king, Let the king live forever: why should not my countenance be sad, when the city, the place of my fathers' sepulchres, lieth waste, and the gates thereof are consumed with fire? (4) Then the king said unto me, For what dost thou make request? So I prayed to the God of heaven. (5) And I said unto the king, If it please the king, and if thy servant have found favour in thy sight, that thou wouldest send me unto Judah, unto the city of my fathers' sepulchres, that I may build it. (6) And 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. (7) Moreover I said unto the king, If it please the king, let letters be given me to the governors beyond the river, that they may convey me over till I come into Judah; (8) 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. (9) В¶ 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.
There is somewhat very interesting in this account; the fear of Nehemiah lest the king should take offence. And as these monarchs of the east were absolute, and the lives of their subjects were at their disposal, there seemed cause for fear. But this fear gave rise to a short but fervent prayer, silently, but powerfully sent up, for grace in the king's sight. Oh Reader! what blessed privileges are ours. To have a throne of grace to fly to; a propitiation always set forth; and an advocate always to plead: how can we fail of success in all our supplications, when we ask in the name of Jesus according to the mind and will of God? If Artaxerxes so readily answered Nehemiah's petition, let us never doubt but ours will always be answered, since we have one at the court of heaven whom the Father heareth alway.