God’s Word Translation
Nehemiah 13:6
6While all of this was taking place, I wasn’t in Jerusalem. In the thirty-second year of King Artaxerxes’ reign in Babylon, I returned to the king. Later, I asked the king for permission to return.
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
4Even before this, the priest Eliashib, who was related to Tobiah and had been put in charge of the storerooms of our God’s temple, 5had provided a large room for Tobiah. Previously, this room had been used to store grain offerings, incense, utensils, a tenth of all the grain harvested, new wine, and olive oil. These things belonged by law to the Levites, singers, and gatekeepers. The contributions for the priests had also been stored there. While all of this was taking place, I wasn’t in Jerusalem. In the thirty-second year of King Artaxerxes’ reign in Babylon, I returned to the king. Later, I asked the king for permission to return. 7I went to Jerusalem and discovered the evil thing Eliashib had done by providing Tobiah with a room in God’s temple. 8I was furious. So I threw all of Tobiah’s household goods out of the room.
Read all of Nehemiah 13Nehemiah 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 32:1When the people saw that Moses delayed coming down from the mountain, they gathered around Aaron. They said to him, “We don’t know what has happened to this Moses, who led us out of Egypt. Make gods who will lead us.”
- 2 Chronicles 24:17After he died, the officials of Judah bowed in front of the king with their faces touching the ground. Then the king listened to their advice.
- Matthew 13:25But while people were asleep, his enemy planted weeds in the wheat field and went away.
- Nehemiah 2:1In the month of Nisan, in Artaxerxes’ twentieth year as king, after some wine was brought for the king, I picked up the cup of wine and gave it to the king. I had never been sad in his presence before.
- Nehemiah 5:14During the 12 years that I was governor of Judah, from the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes’ reign to the thirty-second year of his reign, my brothers and I never ate any food that was paid for by the governor’s food allowance.
- Nehemiah 2:5and I asked the king, “If it pleases Your Majesty, and you are willing to grant my request, let me go to Judah, to the city where my ancestors are buried, so that I can rebuild it.”
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
In the dictionaries
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
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