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:
But during all this time, I wasn't in Jerusalem. In the thirty-second year of King Artaxerxes of Babylon, I went to see the king, and after some time I asked for and received permission from the king to leave.
Nehemiah is explaining that he had to leave Jerusalem to return to King Artaxerxes, but then got permission to come back.
📚 Historical Context
Nehemiah served as the governor of Judah under the Persian King Artaxerxes, having previously led the rebuilding of Jerusalem's walls after returning from exile. In this verse, he recounts his absence from Jerusalem due to his return to the king's court in the 32nd year of Artaxerxes' reign, which was around 433 BC, highlighting the challenges of governing under foreign rule. This reflects the ongoing tension between Jewish reforms and Persian oversight during the post-exilic period.
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