American Standard Version
Nehemiah 2:4
4Then the king said unto me, For what dost thou make request? So I prayed to the God of heaven.
Nehemiah 2:4 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Then the king said unto me, For what dost thou make request? So I prayed to the God of heaven.
- New International Version (NIV)The king said to me, “What is it you want?” Then I prayed to the God of heaven,
- English Standard Version (ESV)Then the king said to me, "What are you requesting?" So I prayed to the God of heaven.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Then the king said to me, “What do you request?” So I prayed to the God of heaven.
Context of Nehemiah 2:4
2And 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. 3And I said unto the king, Let the king live for ever: 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? Then the king said unto me, For what dost thou make request? So I prayed to the God of heaven. 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.
Read all of Nehemiah 2Nehemiah 2:4 word by word
וַיֹּ֤אמֶר לִי֙ הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ עַל־מַה־זֶּ֖ה אַתָּ֣ה מְבַקֵּ֑שׁ וָֽאֶתְפַּלֵּ֔ל אֶל־אֱלֹהֵ֖י הַשָּׁמָֽיִם׃Read the interlinear
Cross-references for Nehemiah 2:4
- 1 Kings 3:5In Gibeon Jehovah appeared to Solomon in a dream by night; and God said, Ask what I shall give thee.
- Esther 5:3Then said the king unto her, What wilt thou, queen Esther? and what is thy request? it shall be given thee even to the half of the kingdom.
- Esther 7:2And the king said again unto Esther on the second day at the banquet of wine, What is thy petition, queen Esther? and it shall be granted thee: and what is thy request? even to the half of the kingdom it shall be performed.
- Mark 10:51And Jesus answered him, and said, What wilt thou that I should do unto thee? And the blind man said unto him, Rabboni, that I may receive my sight.
- Nehemiah 1:4And it came to pass, when I heard these words, that I sat down and wept, and mourned certain days; and I fasted and prayed before the God of heaven,
- 2 Samuel 15:31And one told David, saying, Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom. And David said, O Jehovah, I pray thee, turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness.
- Proverbs 3:6In all thy ways acknowledge him, And he will direct thy paths.
- Philippians 4:6In nothing be anxious; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
Commentaries on Nehemiah 2:4
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 4So I prayed to the God of heaven - Before he dared to prefer his request to the king, he made his prayer to God, that his suit might be acceptable: and this he does by mental prayer. To the spirit of prayer every place is a praying place.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 4I prayed to the God of heaven - Mentally and momentarily, before answering the king.Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 4What is your request?: The king followed the God of heaven, and Nehemiah needed God's guidance and help for his request.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2-52-5. the king said unto me, Why is thy countenance sad?--It was deemed highly unbecoming to appear in the royal presence with any weeds or signs of sorrow (Es 4:2); and hence it was no wonder that the king was struck with the dejected air of his cupbearer, while that attendant, on his part, felt his agitation increased by his deep anxiety about the issue of the conversation so abruptly begun. But the piety and intense earnestness of the man immediately…Read the comment
Topics related to Nehemiah 2:4
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Nehemiah 2
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
American Standard Version — 1901 — Public Domain
Commentaries