KJV ORIGINAL
And the king said unto me, (the queen also sitting by him,) For how long shall thy journey be? and when wilt thou return? So it pleased the king to send me; and I set him a time.
Close to the original. Clear modern English.
✦ MADE SIMPLE
The king asked me (with the queen sitting beside him), 'How long will your trip take, and when will you come back?' The king was willing to let me go, so I gave him a specific timeframe.
⚡ THE BOTTOM LINE
The writer is describing how King Artaxerxes agreed to let Nehemiah travel to Jerusalem after Nehemiah provided a clear timeline for his return.
📚 Historical Context
This conversation took place around 445 BC in the Persian royal court, where Nehemiah served as the king's cupbearer. The mention of the queen suggests this was an intimate moment, as Persian queens rarely appeared in official court proceedings. Nehemiah had just requested permission to return to Jerusalem to rebuild the city walls.
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