Nehemiah also needed materials for the rebuilding of the city. For this, a letter to Asaph, the keeper of the king’s forest was required. Nehemiah knew the name of the keeper, Asaph, which was a Hebrew name. Evidently this was a Jew who had an important position under the Persian authorities. The word for forest is the Persian word pardes from which the English word “paradise” comes. It was used at that time for royal estates. The location of this forest is not known. Timber for the Temple and royal buildings in Jerusalem had previously come from Lebanon. But the fact that this place was under a Jewish keeper may indicate that it was nearer Jerusalem. Such forests did exist near Jerusalem, as is evident from Hag 1.8.

That he may give me timber to make beams for …: Nehemiah needed wood for building material. Some was needed for the gates of the fortress of the temple. Some was needed for beams for the wall of the city and some was needed for the house which I shall occupy (literally “the house that I shall enter”). This could refer either to Nehemiah’s personal property in Jerusalem or to the governor’s residence that he would occupy in his official capacity as governor.

A fortress was a fortified building that was usually on a high location and that could be easily defended. The same Hebrew word is used here as in Neh 1.1, where it referred to the “capital” city of Susa. Here it has the more limited meaning of a specific fortified place. This is the first reference to such a place in Ezra-Nehemiah. It is referred to again in Neh 7.2 (where Revised Standard Version has “castle”), and in later sources there are references to fortifications in the Temple area north of the Temple. If the receptor culture does not have a word with similar meaning, it can be described as a “strong place” or “building to fight from.” Some translations locate it “near” the Temple (Traduction œcuménique de la Bible) or “by” the Temple (New International Version).

For wall of the city, see the comments at Ezra 4.12.

The king granted me what I asked: The Hebrew does not repeat in detail how the king fulfilled Nehemiah’s request. Traduction œcuménique de la Bible makes explicit reference to the letters: “The king gave me these letters” (similarly Bible en français courant). Because verse 9 makes it clear that the king gave men to accompany Nehemiah as well as the letters he asked for, Good News Translation generalizes and says “The emperor gave me all I asked for.” Contemporary English Version is even more general by saying “the king did everything I asked.”

For the good hand of my God was upon me: See the comments at Ezra 7.6-7, 8-9.

Quoted with permission from Noss, Philip A. and Thomas, Kenneth J. A Handbook on Nehemiah. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2005. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .