John Gill's Bible Commentary Ver. 5. And I said unto the king; if it please the king, and if thy servant have found favour in thy sight , etc.] He submits what he had to say wholly to the pleasure of the king, and puts it upon his unmerited favour, and not on any desert of his own: that thou wouldest send me unto Judah, unto the city of my fathers’ sepulchres, that I may build it ; the wall of it, and the houses in it; the favour was, that he might have leave to go thither, and set about such a work, for which he was so much concerned.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 1-8 - Our prayers must be seconded with serious endeavours, else we mock God We are not limited to certain moments in our addresses to the King of kings, but have liberty to go to him at all times; approaches to the throne of grace are never out of season. But the sense of God' displeasure and the afflictions of his people, are causes of sorrow to the children of God, under which no earthly delights can comfort. The king encouraged Nehemiah to tell his mind. This gave him boldness to speak; much more may the invitation Christ has given us to pray, an the promise that we shall speed, encourage us to come boldly to the throne of grace. Nehemiah prayed to the God of heaven, as infinitel above even this mighty monarch. He lifted up his heart to that God wh understands the language of the heart. Nor should we ever engage in an pursuit in which it would be wrong for us thus to seek and expect the Divine direction, assistance, and blessing. There was an immediat answer to his prayer; for the seed of Jacob never sought the God of Jacob in vain.
Original Hebrew ואמר559 למלך4428 אם518 על5921 המלך4428 טוב2895 ואם518 ייטב3190 עבדך5650 לפניך6440 אשׁר834 תשׁלחני7971 אל413 יהודה3063 אל413 עיר5892 קברות6913 אבתי1 ואבננה׃1129
