<h3>Artaxerxes Sends Nehemiah to Jerusalem</h3>2 In the month of Nisan in the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes, when wine was brought for him, I took the wine and gave it to the king. I had not been sad in his presence before, 2 so the king asked me, “Why does your face look so sad when you are not ill? This can be nothing but sadness of heart.”I was very much afraid, 3 but I said to the king, “May the king live forever! Why should my face not look sad when the city where my ancestors are buried lies in ruins, and its gates have been destroyed by fire? ” 4 The king said to me, “What is it you want?”Then I prayed to the God of heaven, 5 and I answered the king, “If it pleases the king and if your servant has found favor in his sight, let him send me to the city in Judah where my ancestors are buried so that I can rebuild it.” 6 Then the king , with the queen sitting beside him, asked me, “How long will your journey take, and when will you get back?” It pleased the king to send me; so I set a time. 7 I also said to him, “If it pleases the king, may I have letters to the governors of Trans-Euphrates, so that they will provide me safe-conduct until I arrive in Judah? 8 And may I have a letter to Asaph, keeper of the royal park, so he will give me timber to make beams for the gates of the citadel by the temple and for the city wall and for the residence I will occupy?” And because the gracious hand of my God was on me, the king granted my requests.

Nehemiah 2:1

In the month of Nisan in the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes,<cr>1</cr> when wine was brought for him, I took the wine and gave it to the king. I had not been sad in his presence before,

so the king asked me, “Why does your face look so sad when you are not ill? This can be nothing but sadness of heart.”<pb/>I was very much afraid,

Nehemiah 2:2

but I said to the king, “May the king live forever!<cr>1</cr> Why should my face not look sad when the city<cr>2</cr> where my ancestors are buried lies in ruins, and its gates have been destroyed by fire?<cr>3</cr> ”

Nehemiah 2:3

The king said to me, “What is it you want?”<pb/>Then I prayed to the God of heaven,

Nehemiah 2:4

and I answered the king, “If it pleases the king and if your servant has found favor in his sight, let him send me to the city in Judah where my ancestors are buried so that I can rebuild it.”

Nehemiah 2:5

Then the king<cr>1</cr> , with the queen sitting beside him, asked me, “How long will your journey take, and when will you get back?” It pleased the king to send me; so I set a time.

Nehemiah 2:6

I also said to him, “If it pleases the king, may I have letters to the governors of Trans-Euphrates,<cr>1</cr> so that they will provide me safe-conduct until I arrive in Judah?

Nehemiah 2:7

And may I have a letter to Asaph, keeper of the royal park, so he will give me timber to make beams for the gates of the citadel<cr>1</cr> by the temple and for the city wall and for the residence I will occupy?” And because the gracious hand of my God was on me,<cr>2</cr> the king granted my requests.<cr>3</cr>

Nehemiah 2:8

 1 In the month of Nisan in the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes,   when wine was brought for him, I took the wine and gave it to the king. I had not been sad in his presence before, 2 so the king asked me, “Why does your face look so sad when you are not ill? This can be nothing but sadness of heart.” I was very much afraid, 3 but I said to the king, “May the king live forever!   Why should my face not look sad when the city   where my ancestors are buried lies in ruins, and its gates have been destroyed by fire?  ” 4 The king said to me, “What is it you want?” Then I prayed to the God of heaven, 5 and I answered the king, “If it pleases the king and if your servant has found favor in his sight, let him send me to the city in Judah where my ancestors are buried so that I can rebuild it.” 6 Then the king  , with the queen sitting beside him, asked me, “How long will your journey take, and when will you get back?” It pleased the king to send me; so I set a time. 7 I also said to him, “If it pleases the king, may I have letters to the governors of Trans-Euphrates,   so that they will provide me safe-conduct until I arrive in Judah? 8 And may I have a letter to Asaph, keeper of the royal park, so he will give me timber to make beams for the gates of the citadel   by the temple and for the city wall and for the residence I will occupy?” And because the gracious hand of my God was on me,   the king granted my requests.  

From Wikipedia: 

The New International Version (NIV) is an English translation of the Bible first published in 1978 by Biblica (formerly the International Bible Society). The NIV was published to meet the need for a modern translation done by Bible scholars using the earliest, highest quality manuscripts available. Of equal importance was that the Bible be expressed in broadly understood modern English.

The NIV is published by Zondervan in the United States and Hodder & Stoughton in the UK. The NIV was updated in 1984 and 2011 and has become one of the most popular and best-selling modern translations.

OT: Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia; additional sources;
NT: UBS Greek New Testament; Novum Testamentum Graece; additional sources;

Nehemiah 2:1-8 - NIV

Group of Brands