Verse (Click for Chapter) New International Version The king said to me, “What is it you want?” Then I prayed to the God of heaven, New Living Translation The king asked, “Well, how can I help you?” With a prayer to the God of heaven, English Standard Version Then the king said to me, “What are you requesting?” So I prayed to the God of heaven. Berean Standard Bible “What is your request?” replied the king. So I prayed to the God of heaven King James Bible Then the king said unto me, For what dost thou make request? So I prayed to the God of heaven. New King James Version Then the king said to me, “What do you request?” So I prayed to the God of heaven. New American Standard Bible Then the king said to me, “What would you request?” So I prayed to the God of heaven. NASB 1995 Then the king said to me, “What would you request?” So I prayed to the God of heaven. NASB 1977 Then the king said to me, “What would you request?” So I prayed to the God of heaven. Legacy Standard Bible Then the king said to me, “What would you request?” So I prayed to the God of heaven. Amplified Bible The king said to me, “What do you request?” So I prayed to the God of heaven. Christian Standard Bible Then the king asked me, “What is your request? ” So I prayed to the God of the heavens Holman Christian Standard Bible Then the king asked me, “What is your request?” So I prayed to the God of heaven American Standard Version Then the king said unto me, For what dost thou make request? So I prayed to the God of heaven. Contemporary English Version The king asked, "What do you want me to do?" I prayed to the God who rules from heaven. English Revised Version Then the king said unto me, For what dost thou make request? So I prayed to the God of heaven. GOD'S WORD® Translation "What do you want?" the king asked me. So I prayed to the God of heaven, Good News Translation The emperor asked, "What is it that you want?" I prayed to the God of Heaven, International Standard Version The king answered, "What do you want?" So I prayed to the God of heaven Majority Standard Bible “What is your request?” replied the king. So I prayed to the God of heaven NET Bible The king responded, "What is it you are seeking?" Then I quickly prayed to the God of heaven New Heart English Bible Then the king said to me, "For what do you make request?" So I prayed to the God of heaven. Webster's Bible Translation Then the king said to me, For what dost thou make request? So I prayed to the God of heaven. World English Bible Then the king said to me, “What is your request?” So I prayed to the God of heaven. Literal Translations Literal Standard VersionAnd the king says to me, “For what are you seeking?” And I pray to the God of the heavens, Young's Literal Translation And the king saith to me, 'For what art thou seeking?' and I pray unto the God of the heavens, Smith's Literal Translation And the king will say to me, For what this thou seekest? And I shall pray to the God of the heavens. Catholic Translations Douay-Rheims BibleThen the king said to me: For what dost thou make request? And I prayed to the God of heaven, Catholic Public Domain Version And the king said to me: “What would you request?” And I prayed to the God of heaven. New American Bible The king asked me, “What is it, then, that you wish?” I prayed to the God of heaven New Revised Standard Version Then the king said to me, “What do you request?” So I prayed to the God of heaven. Translations from Aramaic Lamsa BibleThen the king said to me, For what did you make supplications and pray before the God of heaven? Peshitta Holy Bible Translated And the King said to me: “Because of this, you begged and you prayed before the God of Heaven.” OT Translations JPS Tanakh 1917Then the king said unto me: 'For what dost thou make request?' So I prayed to the God of heaven. Brenton Septuagint Translation And the king said to me, For what dost thou ask thus? So I prayed to the God of heaven. Additional Translations ... Audio Bible Context Nehemiah Sent to Jerusalem…3and replied to the king, “May the king live forever! Why should I not be sad when the city where my fathers are buried lies in ruins, and its gates have been destroyed by fire?” 4“What is your request?” replied the king. So I prayed to the God of heaven 5and answered the king, “If it pleases the king, and if your servant has found favor in your sight, I ask that you send me to Judah, to the city where my fathers are buried, so that I may rebuild it.”… Cross References Ezra 7:6 this Ezra came up from Babylon. He was a scribe skilled in the Law of Moses, which the LORD, the God of Israel, had given. The king had granted Ezra all his requests, for the hand of the LORD his God was upon him. Proverbs 21:1 The king’s heart is a waterway in the hand of the LORD; He directs it where He pleases. Daniel 2:18-19 urging them to plead for mercy from the God of heaven concerning this mystery, so that Daniel and his friends would not be killed with the rest of the wise men of Babylon. / During the night, the mystery was revealed to Daniel in a vision, and he blessed the God of heaven Esther 4:16 “Go and assemble all the Jews who can be found in Susa, and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day, and I and my maidens will fast as you do. After that, I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish!” 1 Samuel 1:10-11 In her bitter distress, Hannah prayed to the LORD and wept with many tears. / And she made a vow, saying, “O LORD of Hosts, if only You will look upon the affliction of Your maidservant and remember me, not forgetting Your maidservant but giving her a son, then I will dedicate him to the LORD all the days of his life, and no razor shall ever touch his head.” Psalm 5:1-3 For the choirmaster, to be accompanied by flutes. A Psalm of David. Give ear to my words, O LORD; consider my groaning. / Attend to the sound of my cry, my King and my God, for to You I pray. / In the morning, O LORD, You hear my voice; at daybreak I lay my plea before You and wait in expectation. Psalm 37:4-5 Delight yourself in the LORD, and He will give you the desires of your heart. / Commit your way to the LORD; trust in Him, and He will do it. Isaiah 65:24 Even before they call, I will answer, and while they are still speaking, I will hear. Jeremiah 33:3 Call to Me, and I will answer and show you great and unsearchable things you do not know. Philippians 4:6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. James 1:5 Now if any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. Matthew 7:7-8 Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you. / For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened. John 14:13-14 And I will do whatever you ask in My name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. / If you ask Me for anything in My name, I will do it. 1 John 5:14-15 And this is the confidence that we have before Him: If we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. / And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we already possess what we have asked of Him. Acts 4:29-31 And now, Lord, consider their threats, and enable Your servants to speak Your word with complete boldness, / as You stretch out Your hand to heal and perform signs and wonders through the name of Your holy servant Jesus.” / After they had prayed, their meeting place was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly. Treasury of Scripture Then the king said to me, For what do you make request? So I prayed to the God of heaven. For what 1 Kings 3:5 In Gibeon the LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream by night: and God said, Ask what I shall give thee. Esther 5:3,6 Then said the king unto her, What wilt thou, queen Esther? and what is thy request? it shall be even given thee to the half of the kingdom… Esther 7:2 And the king said again unto Esther on the second day at the banquet of wine, What is thy petition, queen Esther? and it shall be granted thee: and what is thy request? and it shall be performed, even to the half of the kingdom. So I prayed Nehemiah 1:4,11 And it came to pass, when I heard these words, that I sat down and wept, and mourned certain days, and fasted, and prayed before the God of heaven, … 2 Samuel 15:31 And one told David, saying, Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom. And David said, O LORD, I pray thee, turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness. Proverbs 3:6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. Jump to Previous Desire Heaven Heavens Prayed Prayer Request Seeking WantJump to Next Desire Heaven Heavens Prayed Prayer Request Seeking WantNehemiah 2 1. Artaxerxes, understanding the cause of Nehemiah's sadness, 6. sends him with letters and commission to Jerusalem 9. Nehemiah, to the grief of the enemies, comes to Jerusalem 12. He views secretly the ruins of the walls 17. He incites the Jews to build What is your request? This phrase is a direct question from King Artaxerxes to Nehemiah, highlighting a pivotal moment in the narrative. The Hebrew root for "request" is "שְׁאֵלָה" (she'elah), which implies a petition or plea. In the context of ancient Persian courts, such a question from the king was not merely a formality but an invitation to present one's desires or needs. Historically, this reflects the king's openness and willingness to consider Nehemiah's concerns, which is significant given the political and social dynamics of the time. The Persian Empire was vast and powerful, and for a Jewish cupbearer to be granted such an audience was extraordinary. This moment underscores the providence of God in aligning circumstances for His purposes. Nehemiah's response to this question would not only affect his own life but also the future of Jerusalem and the Jewish people. From a scriptural perspective, this interaction exemplifies the importance of prayerful preparation and divine timing. Nehemiah had been praying and fasting for months (Nehemiah 1:4), and this opportunity was a direct answer to those prayers. It serves as an inspirational reminder that God can move the hearts of leaders and open doors that seem impossible, encouraging believers to approach God with boldness and faith in their own requests. So I prayed to the God of heaven Parallel Commentaries ... Hebrew “Whatמַה־ (mah-) Interrogative Strong's 4100: What?, what!, indefinitely what is your אַתָּ֣ה (’at·tāh) Pronoun - second person masculine singular Strong's 859: Thou and thee, ye and you request?” מְבַקֵּ֑שׁ (mə·ḇaq·qêš) Verb - Piel - Participle - masculine singular Strong's 1245: To search out, to strive after replied וַיֹּ֤אמֶר (way·yō·mer) Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular Strong's 559: To utter, say the king. הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ (ham·me·leḵ) Article | Noun - masculine singular Strong's 4428: A king So I prayed וָֽאֶתְפַּלֵּ֔ל (wā·’eṯ·pal·lêl) Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hitpael - Consecutive imperfect - first person common singular Strong's 6419: To judge, to intercede, pray to אֶל־ (’el-) Preposition Strong's 413: Near, with, among, to the God אֱלֹהֵ֖י (’ĕ·lō·hê) Noun - masculine plural construct Strong's 430: gods -- the supreme God, magistrates, a superlative of heaven הַשָּׁמָֽיִם׃ (haš·šā·mā·yim) Article | Noun - masculine plural Strong's 8064: Heaven, sky Links Nehemiah 2:4 NIVNehemiah 2:4 NLT Nehemiah 2:4 ESV Nehemiah 2:4 NASB Nehemiah 2:4 KJV Nehemiah 2:4 BibleApps.com Nehemiah 2:4 Biblia Paralela Nehemiah 2:4 Chinese Bible Nehemiah 2:4 French Bible Nehemiah 2:4 Catholic Bible OT History: Nehemiah 2:4 Then the king said to me (Neh Ne) |
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