Nehemiah 13:6

Nehemiah 13:6 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)But in all this time was not I at Jerusalem: for in the two and thirtieth year of Artaxerxes king of Babylon came I unto the king, and after certain days obtained I leave of the king:
• New International Version (NIV)But while all this was going on, I was not in Jerusalem, for in the thirty-second year of Artaxerxes king of Babylon I had returned to the king. Some time later I asked his permission
• English Standard Version (ESV)While this was taking place, I was not in Jerusalem, for in the thirty-second year of Artaxerxes king of Babylon I went to the king. And after some time I asked leave of the king
• New King James Version (NKJV)But during all this I was not in Jerusalem, for in the thirty-second year of Artaxerxes king of Babylon I had returned to the king. Then after certain days I obtained leave from the king,

Context of Nehemiah 13:6

4Before this happened, I had given Eliashib the priest authority over the temple rooms where they stored special things. Eliashib was a friend of Tobiah. 5Eliashib let Tobiah use one of these rooms in the temple. It was a large room where they had stored the grain offerings, the incense and the special plates and tools that they used in the temple. They also stored the tithes of grain, wine and olive oil in that room. These gifts were for the Levites, the temple singers and guards, and also for the priests. But when this happened, I was not in Jerusalem. In the 32nd year that King Artaxerxes ruled in Babylon, I had returned to visit him. After I had been there for some time, I asked the king to let me return to Jerusalem. 7When I arrived back in Jerusalem, I heard about the evil thing that Eliashib had done. He had given Tobiah a large room in the yards of God's temple. 8I was very angry, so I threw all Tobiah's things out of the room.

Nehemiah 13:6 word by word

וּבְכָל־זֶ֕ה לֹ֥א הָיִ֖יתִי בִּֽירוּשָׁלִָ֑ם כִּ֡י בִּשְׁנַת֩ שְׁלֹשִׁ֨ים וּשְׁתַּ֜יִם לְאַרְתַּחְשַׁ֤סְתְּא מֶֽלֶךְ־בָּבֶל֙ בָּ֣אתִי אֶל־הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ וּלְקֵ֥ץ יָמִ֖ים נִשְׁאַ֥לְתִּי מִן־הַמֶּֽלֶךְ׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• was not I at Jerusalemיְרוּשָׁלִַ֫ם, יְרוּשְׁלֵםyerûshâlaim yerûshâlayim · JerusalemH3389
• for in the twoשְׁנַ֫יִםshenayim shettayim · twoH8147
• and thirtiethשְׁלֹשִׁיםshelôshîym shelôshîym · thirtyH7970
• yearשָׁנָהshâneh shânâh · yearH8141
• of Artaxerxesאַרְתַּחְשַׁשְׂתָּא'artachshashtâ' 'artachshasht' · ArtaxerxesH783
• kingמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4428
• of Babylonבָּבֶ֫ל, בָּבֶלbâbel · BabylonH894
• cameבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): comeH935
• and afterקֵץqêts · endH7093
• certain daysיוֹםyôm · dayH3117
• obtained I leaveשָׁאַלshâ'al shâ'êl · to askH7592

Cross-references for Nehemiah 13:6

• Exodus 32:1The people realized that Moses had been on the mountain for a long time. So they went in a group to Aaron. They said to him, ‘Do something! Make some gods for us who will lead us. This man, Moses, brought us here out of Egypt. But now we do not know what has happened to him.’
• 2 Chronicles 24:17After Jehoiada died, the important officers of Judah came to the king. They bent down low in front of him to give him honour. The king listened to their advice.
• Matthew 13:25But one night, when everyone was sleeping, a bad person came to the farmer's field. He did not like the farmer. This bad person planted seeds from weeds among the good wheat seeds. Then the bad person went away again.
• Nehemiah 2:1It was the month of Nisan, when King Artaxerxes had ruled Babylon for 20 years. I had the king's wine ready for him to drink. I took it to give to him. He saw that I was sad. I had not been sad in front of the king before.
• Nehemiah 5:14All the time that I ruled the land of Judah, I did not eat the government officer's special food. I was the ruler from the 20th year of King Artaxerxes until his 32nd year as king. For all those 12 years, I and my relatives refused to eat the special food.
• Nehemiah 2:5Then I said to the king, ‘Please sir, if you think it is a good idea and you are pleased with me, let me go to Judah. If you agree to send me there, I can build again the city where my ancestors are buried.’

Commentaries on Nehemiah 13:6

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 6Was not I at Jerusalem - Nehemiah came to Jerusalem in the twentieth year of Artaxerxes, and remained there till the thirty-second year, twelve years: then returned to Babylon, and staid one year; got leave to revisit his brethren; and found matters as stated in this chapter.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 6Artaxerxes king of Babylon - See Nehemiah 1:1. Compare Ezra 6:22, where Darius Hystaspis is called “king of Assyria.” After certain days - Or, “at the end of a year,” which is a meaning that the phrase often has Exodus 13:10; Leviticus 25:29-30; Numbers 9:22. Nehemiah probably went to the court at Babylon in 433 B.C., and returned to Jerusalem 432 B.C.Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 6Nehemiah went back to Persia after serving in Jerusalem for twelve years, from 445 to 433 BC. The text does not specify how long he stayed in Persia, but it was likely no more than a year or two. When he returned to Jerusalem, he discovered Tobiah living in the temple storeroom (Nehemiah 13:1–5).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 6-96-9. But in all this was not I at Jerusalem--Eliashib (concluding that, as Nehemiah had departed from Jerusalem, and, on the expiry of his allotted term of absence, had resigned his government, he had gone not to return) began to use great liberties, and, there being none left whose authority or frown he dreaded, allowed himself to do things most unworthy of his sacred office, and which, though in unison with his own irreligious character, he would not…Read the comment

Topics related to Nehemiah 13:6

• Eliashib
• Minister, Christian
• Offerings
• Priest
• Tobiah

In the dictionaries

• Artaxerxes
• Babylon
• Jerusalem
• Babylon, Babylonia, Babylonian
• Contend
• Malachi
• Outlandish
• Testify
• Understand
• Chronology of the Old Testament

Commentaries on Nehemiah 13

• 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