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.
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 writer is describing how King Artaxerxes agreed to let Nehemiah travel to Jerusalem after Nehemiah provided a clear timeline for his return.
📚 Historical Context
Nehemiah was a Jewish exile serving as the cupbearer to King Artaxerxes of Persia, a role that placed him in a position of trust and influence within the royal court. In this verse, Nehemiah is seeking permission to travel to Jerusalem to rebuild its walls, and the king, with the queen present, inquires about the trip's duration and return date before granting approval. This moment reflects the broader historical context of the Jewish people returning from Babylonian exile and restoring their homeland under Persian rule.
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