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.
Ver. 6. And the king said unto me] He yields for the thing, only indents for the time; as being loth to deny Nehemiah his suit, and yet as loth to forego so faithful a servant. Ipse aspectus viri boni delectat (Seneca).
The queen also sitting by him] And assisting his cause likely. Some think this was Esther, the queen mother. But the Hebrew word here is, wife: now the kings of Persia were noted for uxorious.
For how long, &c.] The departure of a dear friend is so grievous, that death itself is called by that name.
So it pleased the king to send me] As a governor, Nehemiah 5:14. This was the fruit of prayer, and, therefore, so much the sweeter.
And I set him a time] sc. Twelve years, Nehemiah 5:14. But more probably a shorter time at first.