Nehemiah 2:8

God's faithfulness Protection and safety God's presence Guidance and decisions

⁶ 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.

⁷ Moreover I said unto the king, If it please the king, let letters be given me to the governors beyond the river, that they may convey me over till I come into Judah;

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.

⁹ Then I came to the governors beyond the river, and gave them the king’s letters. Now the king had sent captains of the army and horsemen with me.

¹⁰ When Sanballat the Horonite, and Tobiah the servant, the Ammonite, heard of it, it grieved them exceedingly that there was come a man to seek the welfare of the children of Israel.

Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB: And may I have a letter to Asaph, keeper of the king’s forest, so that he will give me timber to make beams for the gates of the citadel to the temple, for the city wall, and for the house I will occupy.” And because the gracious hand of my God was upon me, the king granted my requests.
KJV: 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.
WEB: and a letter to Asaph the keeper of the king’s forest, that he may give me timber to make beams for the gates of the citadel by the temple, for the wall of the city, and for the house that I will occupy.” The king granted my requests, because of the good hand of my God on me.
ASV: 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 castle which appertaineth 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.
DARBY: and a letter to Asaph the keeper of the king's forest, that he may give me timber to make beams for the gates of the palace which [appertains] 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.
BLB: and a letter to Asaph the keeper of the forest that [is] unto the king, that he give to me timber to make beams for the gates of the citadel that [is] for the house, and for the wall of the city, and for the house that I will enter into.” And the king granted to me the good according to hand of my God upon me.

ÅB: likeså et brev til Asaf, han som har oppsyn over kongens skoger, at han skal gi meg tømmer til å tømre opp portene til den borg som hører til templet, og portene til bymuren og tømmer til det hus som jeg skal bo i. Og kongen gav meg det, fordi min Gud holdt sin gode hånd over meg.
OTB: Og kan jeg få et brev til Asaf, vokteren av kongens skog, slik at han vil gi meg tømmer til å lage bjelker til portene i borgen ved tempelet, til bymuren, og til huset jeg skal bo i?” Og fordi min Guds nådige hånd var over meg, innvilget kongen mine forespørsler.
B1930: likeså et brev til Asaf, han som har opsyn over kongens skoger, at han skal gi mig tømmer til å tømre op portene til den borg som hører til templet, og portene til bymuren og tømmer til det hus som jeg skal bo i. Og kongen gav mig det, fordi min Gud holdt sin gode hånd over mig.

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

Ezra 7:6
This Ezra went up from Babylon; and he was a ready scribe in the law of Moses, which the LORD God of Israel had given: and the king granted him all his request, according to the hand of the LORD his God upon him.
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Isaiah 66:14
And when ye see this, your heart shall rejoice, and your bones shall flourish like an herb: and the hand of the LORD shall be known toward his servants, and his indignation toward his enemies.
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Nehemiah 7:2
That I gave my brother Hanani, and Hananiah the ruler of the palace, charge over Jerusalem: for he was a faithful man, and feared God above many.
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Daniel 1:9
Now God had brought Daniel into favour and tender love with the prince of the eunuchs.
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Nehemiah 2:17–18
Then said I unto them, Ye see the distress that we are in, how Jerusalem lieth waste, and the gates thereof are burned with fire: come, and let us build up the wall of Jerusalem, that we be no more a reproach.
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Ezra 5:5
But the eye of their God was upon the elders of the Jews, that they could not cause them to cease, till the matter came to Darius: and then they returned answer by letter concerning this matter.
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Genesis 32:28
And he said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed.
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Acts 26:22
Having therefore obtained help of God, I continue unto this day, witnessing both to small and great, saying none other things than those which the prophets and Moses did say should come:
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