Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Nehemiah 2:2
Wherefore the king said unto me, Why [is] thy countenance sad, seeing thou [art] not sick? this [is] nothing [else] but sorrow of heart. Then I was very sore afraid,
2. Wherefore ] R.V. And.
sad ] The Hebrew adjective which means literally ‘bad’ is used constantly in this sense, just as we speak of ‘bad news’ when we mean ‘sad news.’ For this usage cf. Gen 40:7 ‘sadly,’ Pro 25:20 ‘an heavy heart.’
sorrow of heart ] The substantive, being derived from the same root as the adjective ‘sad,’ had better have been rendered ‘sadness,’ to bring out the antithesis between ‘countenance’ and ‘heart.’ It is so rendered in Ecc 7:3, ‘the sadness of the countenance.’
Then I was very sore afraid ] See note on Neh 2:1. Nehemiah’s fear was very natural. The long-expected and dreaded moment had come, on which he was to plead his people’s cause. Their destiny and perhaps his own life depended upon his success. The capricious temper of Persian kings was well known. Artaxerxes may very probably have been prejudiced against the Jews by such complaints as had occasioned the disastrous edict of Ezr 4:17-22.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
I was very sore afraid – A Persian subject was expected to be perfectly content so long as he had the happiness of being with his king. A request to quit the court was thus a serious matter.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 2. Then I was very sore afraid.] Probably the king spoke as if he had some suspicion that Nehemiah harboured some bad design, and that his face indicated some conceived treachery or remorse.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Why is thy countenance sad? his fasting joined with inward grief had made a sensible change in his very countenance.
I was very sore afraid; partly, being daunted by the majesty of the king, and the suddenness and sharpness of his question; partly, fearing lest there was arising some jealousy or ill opinion in the king concerning him; partly, because it was an unusual and ungrateful thing to come into the king of Persias presence with any badges or tokens of sorrow, Est 4:2; and principally, from his doubts or fears of disappointment, because his request was great and invidious, and odious to the most of the Persian courtiers, and might be represented as dangerous, and might seem improper for a time of feasting and jollity.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
2-5. the king said unto me, Why isthy countenance sad?It was deemed highly unbecoming to appearin the royal presence with any weeds or signs of sorrow (Es4:2); and hence it was no wonder that the king was struck withthe dejected air of his cupbearer, while that attendant, on his part,felt his agitation increased by his deep anxiety about the issue ofthe conversation so abruptly begun. But the piety and intenseearnestness of the man immediately restored [Nehemiah] to calmself-possession and enabled him to communicate, first, the cause ofhis sadness (Ne 2:3), and next,the patriotic wish of his heart to be the honored instrument ofreviving the ancient glory of the city of his fathers.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Wherefore the king said unto me, why is thy countenance sad, seeing thou art not sick?…. He had no disorder upon him to change his countenance and make him sorrowful, and therefore asks what should be the reason of it:
this is nothing else but sorrow of heart; this is not owing to any bodily disease or pain, but some inward trouble of mind; or “wickedness of heart” p, some ill design in his mind, which being conscious of, and thoughtful about, was discovered in his countenance; he suspected, as Jarchi intimates, a design to kill him, by putting poison into his cup:
then I was very sore afraid; lest the king should have suspicion of an ill design on him; or lest, since he must be obliged to give the true reason, he should not succeed in his request, it being so large, and perhaps many about the king were no friends to the Jews.
p , Sept. “malum nescio quod in corde tuo est”, V. L.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(2) Then I was very sore afraid.Waiting on Providence, Nehemiah had discharged his duties for three months without being sad in the kings presence; but on this day his sorrow could not be repressed. His fear sprang from the kings abrupt inquiry. A sad countenance was never tolerated in the royal presence; and, though Artaxerxes was of a milder character than any other Persian monarch, the tone of his question showed that in this respect he was not an exception.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
2. I was sore afraid The king’s question was probably altogether unexpected, and coming on that public occasion, when the queen was also present, (Neh 2:6,) and, perhaps, many nobles of the court, he was filled with confusion, and feared that the presenting of his cause on such an occasion might expose it to failure, and himself to scorn and punishment. Perhaps he feared, too, that the king might suspect some foul designs in his heart.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
(2) Wherefore the king said unto me, Why is thy countenance sad, seeing thou art not sick? this is nothing else but sorrow of heart. Then I was very sore afraid, (3) And said unto the king, Let the king live forever: why should not my countenance be sad, when the city, the place of my fathers’ sepulchres, lieth waste, and the gates thereof are consumed with fire? (4) Then the king said unto me, For what dost thou make request? So I prayed to the God of heaven. (5) And I said unto the king, If it please the king, and if thy servant have found favour in thy sight, that thou wouldest send me unto Judah, unto the city of my fathers’ sepulchres, that I may build it. (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; (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. (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.
There is somewhat very interesting in this account; the fear of Nehemiah lest the king should take offence. And as these monarchs of the east were absolute, and the lives of their subjects were at their disposal, there seemed cause for fear. But this fear gave rise to a short but fervent prayer, silently, but powerfully sent up, for grace in the king’s sight. Oh Reader! what blessed privileges are ours. To have a throne of grace to fly to; a propitiation always set forth; and an advocate always to plead: how can we fail of success in all our supplications, when we ask in the name of Jesus according to the mind and will of God? If Artaxerxes so readily answered Nehemiah’s petition, let us never doubt but ours will always be answered, since we have one at the court of heaven whom the Father heareth alway.
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Neh 2:2 Wherefore the king said unto me, Why [is] thy countenance sad, seeing thou [art] not sick? this [is] nothing [else] but sorrow of heart. Then I was very sore afraid,
Ver. 2. Wherefore the king said unto me, Why is thy countenance sad? ] Some would have chided him, and bid him be packing, for they liked not his looks, there might be treason hatching in his heart; he was a man of an ill aspect. But love thinks no evil.
Seeing thou art not sick?
This is nothing else but sorrow of heart
Then I was very sore afraid
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
sorrow of heart. See Pro 15:13.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Why is thy: Gen 40:7
sorrow: Pro 15:13
Then I: Probably the king spoke as if he had some suspicion that Nehemiah harboured some bad design, and that his face indicated some conceived treachery, or remorse; and, indeed, the words rendered sad, and sorrow of heart, might be rendered evil, and wickedness of heart.
Reciprocal: Gen 40:1 – the butler 1Ki 21:5 – Why is thy spirit Neh 7:7 – Zerubbabel Psa 13:2 – sorrow Psa 137:5 – I forget Pro 12:25 – Heaviness Ecc 7:4 – heart
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Neh 2:2. The king said, Why is thy countenance sad? His fasting, joined with inward grief, had made a sensible change in his countenance. Then I was sore afraid It was an unusual and ungracious thing to come into the king of Persias presence with any token of sorrow. And he feared a disappointment, because his request was great and invidious, and odious to most of the Persian courtiers.