John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Nehemiah 2:1
And it came to pass in the month Nisan; in the twentieth year of Artaxerxes ,.... It was still but in the twentieth year of his reign; for though Nisan or March was the first month of the year with the Jews, and from whence the reigns of their kings were dated F12 Misn. Roshhashanah, c. 1. sect. 3. ; yet, with other nations, Tisri or September was the beginning of the reigns of their kings F13 T. Bab. Rashhashanah, fol. 3. 1. ; so that Chisleu or November being since, see ... read more
Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Nehemiah 2:1-8
When Nehemiah had prayed for the relief of his countrymen, and perhaps in David's words (Ps. 51:18; Build thou the walls of Jerusalem), he did not sit still and say, ?Let God now do his own work, for I have no more to do,? but set himself to forecast what he could do towards it. Our prayers must be seconded with our serious endeavours, else we mock God. Nearly four months passed, from Chisleu to Nisan (from November to March), before Nehemiah made his application to the king for leave to go to... read more