Nehemiah 2:8

Neh 2:8 And a letter unto Asaph the keeper of the king’s forest, that he may give me timber to make beams for the gates of the palace which [appertained] to the house, and for the wall of the city, and for the house that I shall enter into. And the king granted me, according to the good hand of my God upon me.

Ver. 8. Keeper of the king’s forest] Heb. Paradise; probably so called for the pleasantness of it. Tho French Protestants called their temple or church at Lyons, Paradise, David’s delight, Psa 27:1-14 Psa 84:1-12.

Of the palace that appertained to the house] i.e., to the Temple, which is called the house, by an excellency; as the Scriptures are called the Bible, that is, the Book, as being the only best book, in comparison whereof all other books in the world are no better than waste paper.

And for the house that I shall enter into] i.e., A dwelling house for myself, when once the public is served. Junius understands it of a common hall or shire house, wherein he might sit and judge causes brought before him.

And the king granted me] It was but ask and have, and so it is between God and his people. When there was a speech among some holy men, what was the best trade? one answered, beggary; it is the hardest and richest trade. Common beggary is indeed the poorest and easiest; but prayer he meant. A courtier gets more by one suit oft than a tradesman or merchant haply with twenty years’ labour; so doth a faithful prayer, &c.

According to the good hand] He calleth him his God, as if he loved or cared more for him than for the rest of the world. It is the property of true faith, ιδιοποιεισθαι, to make all its own that it can lay hold upon. {See Trapp on "Ezr 7:6"}

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Neh_2:8

And the king granted me, according to the good hand of my God upon us.

The power of God in the individual Christian

The secret of success is to have God with us, and what we want in our day is not more machinery or new methods of work, but more of the power of God in individual Christians. Nehemiah, in his prolonged prayerfulness, shows us how this power is to be obtained, for it is when we know God in His fulness and have enlightened communion with the Lord, that we are fitted to become workers together with Him. (W. P. Lockhart.)

Gods hand

I. A spirit of dependence. There breathes forth a feeling of insignificance. The speaker feels scarcely able to trust himself.

1. Mans technical skill. Having arrived at so high a standard in design, construction, and art, we are very apt to think very highly of ourselves. We gaze on the railway, the steam-engine, the ocean-steamer, the tunnel under the hills, and the canal through the land, and fancy we can do anything.

2. Mans natural conceit. There is a great tendency to think more highly of ourselves than we ought to think. Satan employs this tendency to induce man to lift up his hand against God.

II. A spirit of trust. This spirit of reliance will save us from many trials. It will prevent--

1. Anxious care. If we leave our concerns in Gods hand, we shall not be careful and cumbered about many things. It will prevent--

2. Worldly-mindedness of disposition. The spirit that leaves its cares in Gods hand will leave its joys there also.

3. All bitterness of sorrow. (Homilist.)

The recognition of God

He recognised God in all. Not to his favourable circumstances, nor to the opportunity of presenting his petition, nor to the good mood the monarch was in, nor to all of these combined, did he ascribe his success. Secondary causes would not explain the result; it must be traced to its true source--God and God alone must have all the glory. (W. P. Lockhart.)

The Biblical Illustrator, edited by Joseph S. Exell (c. 1880s–1900s) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

2:8 Temple fortress might refer to the Tower of Hananel or the Tower of the Hundred. • the gracious hand of God was on me: Nehemiah knew that the king granted these requests because God was sovereignly guiding the king to do so.

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Or, Paradise.

As God moved me to ask, and as he gave me good success therein.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

according to the good hand of my God upon me--The piety of Nehemiah appears in every circumstance. The conception of his patriotic design, the favorable disposition of the king, and the success of the undertaking are all ascribed to God.

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Verse 8. Asaph the keeper of the king's forest] הפרדס hapardes of the paradise of the king. This I believe is originally a Persian word; it frequently occurs in Arabic, [Arabic] ferdoos, and in Greek, παραδεισος, and in both signifies a pleasant garden, vineyard, pleasure garden, and what we call a paradise.

Above the hall of audience, in the imperial palace at Dehli, the following Persian couplet is inscribed:-

[Persian]

[Persian]

"If there be a paradise on the face of the earth,

this is it, this is it, this is it."

Thus we find that the word is applied to denote splendid apartments, as well as fine gardens; in a word, any place of pleasure and delight. The king's forest mentioned in the text might have been the same to Artaxerxes, as the New Forest was to William the Conqueror, or Windsor Forest to the late amiable sovereign of the British people, GEORGE the THIRD.

And the king granted me, c.] This noble spirited man attributes every thing to God. He might have said, I had been long a faithful servant to the king and he was disposed, in reward of my fidelity, to grant my request; but he would not say so: "He granted my request, because the good hand of my God was upon me." God favoured me, and influenced the king's heart to do what I desired.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

(8) Keeper of the king’s forest.—Asaph, a Jew, was keeper of an artificial park or pleasure ground near Jerusalem: the Persian pardes, whence our “Paradise.” It was well planted with trees, as timber was to be supplied from it “for the gates of the palace,” rather the fortress, which protected “the house,” or temple, and was known in Roman times as Antonia; also for the city walls; also “for the house that I shall enter into,” that is, Nehemiah’s own house, for his being appointed governor is pre-supposed.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

8. Asaph the keeper of the king’s forest] R.V. marg. ‘or park’. The forest or park from which the timber was to be supplied has been identified by some with the forests of Lebanon, by others with the well-wooded ‘plain’ abounding in olives and sycomores (1Ch_27:28) near the coast. In the present day scholars incline to identify it with ‘Solomon’s Garden’ at Etan or Etam, described by Josephus (Ant. VIII. 7.3) as richly wooded and well watered (παραδείσοις … καὶ ναμάτων ἐπιρροαῖς ἐπιτερπὲς ὁμοῦ καὶ πλούσιον) distant about six or seven miles S. from Jerusalem. The ‘pleasure-grounds’ of Solomon may have been handed down as ‘royal domains.’

In a scantily-wooded country like Palestine a well-preserved forest would have constituted a valuable piece of property.

The management of the ‘timber’ was committed to a royal officer, ‘the keeper of the king’s forest’ or ‘park.’ The name Asaph suggests that ‘the keeper’ was a Jew, which would favour the view of the forest being not far from Jerusalem.

‘forest,’ ‘park’ or ‘pleasure-garden.’ The Hebrew word “pardês” (Gr. παράδεισος = English ‘paradise’) is found in the O.T. only in Son_4:13; Ecc_2:5. It is said to be of Persian (= Zend pairidaéza) origin, signifying an ‘enclosure.’ It seems to have been used especially of ‘the royal parks’ or ‘enclosed hunting-grounds’ of the Persian kings, and in this sense to have been received into Hebrew and Greek literature. It occurs with the meaning of a ‘garden’ in Sir_24:30; Sir_40:17; Sir_40:27, Susann. passim. For its technical usage among the Jews for ‘the abode of the blest,’ see, on Luk_23:43, Lightfoot’s Horae Hebraicae.

that he may give me timber] Nehemiah asks for timber for the purpose of building (1) the castle or citadel of Jerusalem, (2) the walls generally, (3) his own house of residence as governor.

the gates of the palace which appertained to the house] R.V. the gates of the castle which appertaineth to the house. The word ‘Birah’ rendered ‘castle’ by the R.V. is of foreign, possibly Babylonian origin, and is represented in the Greek by Βᾶρις. See note on Neh_1:1.

The building here referred to was destined to play an important part in the later history of Jerusalem. It lay on the north side of the Temple (‘the house’), which it was intended to defend, and with which it communicated. It is not mentioned in Neh_12:39, and therefore probably lay inside the circuit of the wall. A special officer commanded it (Neh_7:2) on account of its great importance.

It was rebuilt by the Asmonean princes (1Ma_13:52), and again by Herod the Great, who gave it the name of ‘Antonia,’ after his friend and patron Mark Antony. Into this castle St Paul was carried by the Roman soldiers, when they rescued him from the hands of the mob in the Temple precincts (Act_21:37; Act_22:24).

the wall of the city] The timber would be required especially for the gates and for the towers which commanded the gates.

the house that I shall enter into] By this is apparently intended Nehemiah’s official residence, where he afterwards so generously entertained, Neh_5:17-18. The old interpretation which explained it to mean the Temple gives no satisfactory meaning to the words ‘that I shall enter into.’ Nehemiah was not a priest; and had no right to enter the Temple (see Neh_6:11).

according to the good hand, &c.] Cf. Neh_2:18; Ezr_7:6; Ezr_8:18-22.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And a letter unto Asaph the keeper of the king's forest,.... 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 Ecc 2:5 and at the extreme part of it, it seems, there was a city called Paradisus (r); such an officer as here was among the Romans, called Saltuarius (s), 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.

(r) Ptolem. Geograph. l. 5. c. 15. Plin. Nat. Hist. l. 5. c. 23. (s) Vid. Servium in Virgil. Aeneid. l. 2. ver. 485.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

The king’s forest - Rather, park. The word used פרדס pardês; compare παράδεισος paradeisos, found only here, in Ecc 2:5, and in Son 4:13), is of Persian, or at any rate of Aryan origin. The Persians signified by pariyadeza a walled enclosure, ornamented with trees, either planted or of natural growth, and containing numerous wild animals. The “paradise” here mentioned must have been in the neighborhood of Jerusalem, and may have corresponded to the earlier “gardens of Solomon.”

The palace - Rather, “the fortress.” The word in the original has the double meaning of “palace” and “fortress,” the fact being that in ancient times palaces were always fortified. “The fortress which pertained to the house (temple)” is first spoken of here. Under the Romans it was called “Antonia.”

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Forest. Hebrew pordes, "paradise," or garden planted with trees. Pliny ([Natural History?] v. 23.) mentions a "paradise," in Cœlosyria. (Grotius) --- But Nehemias might petition to be supplied with cedars from Libanus, (Tirinus) as they had been given for the temple, 1 Esdras iii. 7. (Haydock) --- Tower. Hebrew bira, means also "a palace or temple." It may designate the porch of the temple, which was 120 cubits high; (2 Paralipomenon iii. 4.; Calmet) though that had been lately repaired by Esdras. (Menochius) --- Others think the doors of the courts are meant, as they were as strong as those of towers. (Vatable) --- They were not yet finished, chap. x. 9. Many believe that (Calmet) Nehemias speaks of the royal palace, which had been almost contiguous to the temple, (Menochius) where he intended to build one for himself, while he should reside in the city. (Tirinus) --- But this might give umbrage to the king. (Calmet) --- He could not, however, intend his favourite to remain without a suitable palace; and the latter seems to have designed not only to repair that which Solomon had founded, but also to erect another house for the governor. (Haydock) --- Good hand; favour, (Menochius) and powerful aid. (Haydock)

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

The king’s forest; the forest of Libanus, famous for pleasure, and for plenty of choice trees.

Which appertained to the house, to wit, of the king’s palace, which was adjoining to the house of God. Or, of the tower or fence belonging to the house of God, to wit, for the gates of the courts of the temple; for though the temple was built, the courts and other buildings belonging to the temple might yet be unfinished.

The house that I shall enter into; wherewith I may build a house in which I may dwell whilst I am there, and which I may dispose of as I see fit.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

8. Keeper of the king’s forest — The Hebrew word here rendered forest, is פרדס, pardes, a Persian word, from which comes (through the Greek) the word paradise. It occurs in only two other passages, Ecc_2:5, and Son_4:13, and seems to designate an inclosed garden or park, planted with trees and shrubs. “A wide open park, inclosed against injury, yet with its natural beauty unspoiled, with stately forest trees, many of them bearing fruit, watered by clear streams on whose banks roved large herds of antelopes or sheep — this was the scenery which connected itself in the mind of the Greek traveller with the word paradise, and for which his own language supplied no precise equivalent.” — SMITH’S Bib. Dict. The forest, or paradise, mentioned in this verse was one from which Nehemiah wished to procure timber for building purposes, and must have been somewhere in Palestine, and probably not far from Jerusalem. There is no evidence that Nehemiah went as far as Lebanon for materials. Some suggest that the king’s forest may mean the beautiful and well watered gardens which Josephus (viii, 7, 3) mentions as being at Etham, about fifty furlongs from Jerusalem, to which Solomon was wont to ride out in the morning. But the reference may be to all the groves and forests of Palestine, which seem to have been at that time carefully guarded by the kings of Persia, who appointed a special officer to guard them, and see that they were not wantonly destroyed.

The palace which appertained to the house — That is, the palace, fortress, or castle, which was connected with the temple. Not the palace of Solomon, which probably stood on the southern slope of Ophel, and from which that king had a magnificent ascent to the temple, (1Ki_10:5,) for we have elsewhere no hint of any attempt to rebuild the royal palace at Jerusalem, and least of all would Nehemiah have proposed at such a time to build it, for that would look like a design to re-establish the kingdom of Judah. But this palace of the temple, which Nehemiah proposed to build, was probably some such fortress or citadel as that subsequently known as Antonia, called also Baris, (Βαρις seems to have come from בירה, birah, here rendered palace, and includes the meaning both of fortress and palace,) and used under the Asmonean princes as a depository for the vestments of the high priest. Josephus, 15:11, 4.

For the wall — Timber would be used for building the gates of the wall.

The house that I shall enter into — His own residence, or headquarters, while he superintended the building of the wall and gates of the city.

According to the good hand — Compare Ezr_7:6, note.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

The king"s forest. Patrick supposes the forest on Mount Lebanon to be intended; but Nehemiah would scarcely have desired to transport timber for ordinary building purposes from such a distance. Moreover, the word used is one not applicable to a natural forest, but only to a park, or pleasure-ground planted with trees, and surrounded by a fence or wall. The word is pardes, the Hebrew representative of that Persian term which the Greeks rendered by paradeisov , whence our "paradise." We must understand a royal park in the vicinity of Jerusalem, of which a Jew, Asaph, was the keeper. The palace which appertained to the house. The "house" here spoken of is undoubtedly the temple; and the birah, appertaining to it is, almost certainly, the fortress at the north-west angle of the temple area, which at once commanded and protected it. Josephus says ("Ant. Jud:," 15:11, that this fortress was called Bariv originally. In Roman times it was known as the "Turris Antonia." The house that I shall enter into. The governor"s residence. Nehemiah assumes that the powers for which he asks involve his being appointed governor of Judaea. The king granted me, according to the good hand of my God upon me. Through God"s special favour towards me, the king was induced to grant my request.

Success ascribed to God.

"And the king granted me, according to the good hand of my God upon me." Nehemiah, like Ezra before him, (Ezr_7:6) ascribes the success of his application to the king to the good hand of God;" which had, indeed, been conspicuous. The circumstances which had paved the way for the presentation of his petition, the readiness of the king"s consent to his requests, the largeness of the facilities granted him, all indicated that his God, whose aid he had sought, had ordered events and influenced the monarch"s heart.

I THE GOOD HAND OF GOD IS IN ALL THE SUCCESSES OF HIS SERVANTS. The hand of God is, indeed, in the successes of all; and in their failures and reverses too; and it is always a good hand. For it is the hand of him who is good, who seeks the good of his creatures, and will surely "do good unto those that be good". (Psa_125:4) Nor is it easy to say whether the goodness of God"s hand is most shown in successes or reverses. It is of success, however, that the text speaks; and this comes from God, as he

1. Arranges the events which conduce to success.

2. Supplies the qualities which contribute to it. Wisdom, power, goodness, in ourselves or others.

3. Overrules adverse circumstances or endeavours.

4. Works in ways inconceivable and indescribable to render all efficient.

II THE GOOD HAND OF GOD IS ESPECIALLY CONSPICUOUS IN SOME SUCCESSES. We pass over those effected by the display of Divine power in miracles. Nehemiah records no miracle. The hand of God is especially apparent in successes obtained where

(1) great difficulties are surmounted, or

(2) strenuous opposition is overcome, or

(3) feeble instruments have been employed, or

(4) unexpected valuable help arises, or

(5) many unlikely conditions concur, and

(6) signal good is accomplished.

All these were combined in the successes of the gospel in early times, and in many a revival, reformation, or deliverance in later days.

III THE GOOD HAND OF GOD SHOULD EVER BE DEVOUTLY RECOGNISED AND ACKNOWLEDGED. With admiration, gratitude, and praise. This is meet and right and profitable. To be unable to see God"s hand is to be in the condition of a brute. To shut our eyes and refuse to see it is the part of a determined infidel. To see, and not in suitable ways to acknowledge, is at least to be guilty of impiety, ingratitude, and cowardice.

IV THE GOOD HAND OF GOD WILL BE RECOGNISED AND ACKNOWLEDGED BY GODLY MEN. They have the faith which discerns it, the love which delights to trace its operation, the gratitude which impels to the acknowledgment of it. Especially will this be the case when the success achieved is a manifest answer to their prayers.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

King's forest - Of the forest of Lebanon, famous for choice trees. Palace - Of the king's palace, which was adjoining to the house of God. Enter - That I shall build to dwell in while I am there.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

And a letter to Asaph and that you send a letter to Asaph.

the guardian of the king’s orchard He was appointed over the king’s forests.

to make beams This is the intensive conjugation: to make ceilings and beams for the gates of the castles of the Temple Mount, for they had built the Temple as it should be built, but the gates of the walls of the Temple Mount and the wall for the court surrounding the Temple had not yet been built.

and for the wall of the city and to make beams for the wall of the city.

and for the house to which I shall go and to make a house in which I shall dwell for my needs.

and the king gave me all I asked him for.

according to the good hand according to the hand of the Holy One, blessed be He, which was good upon me, to cause me to succeed.

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.