John Gill's Bible Commentary Ver. 8. And a letter unto Asaph the keeper of the king’s forest , etc.] The forest or mountain of Lebanon, which, because of its odoriferous and fruit bearing trees, was more like an orchard or paradise, as this word signifies, and so it is translated in ( Ecclesiastes 2:5 Song of Solomon 4:13) and at the extreme part of it, it seems, there was a city called Paradisus f17 ; such an officer as here was among the Romans, called Saltuarius f18 , and is now among us: that he may give me timber to make beams for the gates of the palace which appertaineth to the house ; not the king’s palace near the temple, for that might have occasioned suspicion in the king, that his view was to set up himself as king in Judea; but for the gates of the courts adjoining to the temple, and of the wall of the outward court, and of the wall which was to encompass the mountain of the house, the whole circumference of it: and for the wall of the city ; to make gates of in various places for that, where they stood before: and for the house which I shall enter into ; and dwell in during his stay at Jerusalem: and the king granted me ; all the above favours: according to the good hand of my God upon me ; the kind providence of God, which wrought on the heart of the king, and disposed it towards him, and overruled all things for good.
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 ואגרת107 אל413 אסף623 שׁמר8104 הפרדס6508 אשׁר834 למלך4428 אשׁר834 יתן5414 לי עצים6086 לקרות7136 את853 שׁערי8179 הבירה1002 אשׁר834 לבית1004 ולחומת2346 העיר5892 ולבית1004 אשׁר834 אבוא935 אליו413 ויתן5414 לי המלך4428 כיד3027 אלהי430 הטובה2896 עלי׃5921
