Chapter 2: The King's Wine

But on one particular day, the mask slipped. Nehemiah brought the wine to the king, and for the first time, his face betrayed his grief. In the courts of Persia, a downcast face before the king could be read as disloyalty or even as a sign of treachery. What came next terrified him.

KING ARTAXERXES“Why does your face look sad when you are not ill? This is nothing but sadness of heart.”— Nehemiah 2:2

Nehemiah was very much afraid. But he answered.

NEHEMIAH“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?”— Nehemiah 2:3

The king looked at him.

KING ARTAXERXES“What is it you want?”— Nehemiah 2:4

Before answering, Nehemiah sent a silent prayer to the God of heaven.

NEHEMIAH“If it pleases the king, and if your servant has found favor in your sight, let me go to Judah, to the city of my fathers' tombs, so that I may rebuild it.”— Nehemiah 2:5

NEHEMIAH“If it pleases the king, may I have letters to the governors of Trans-Euphrates, so that they will provide me safe passage until I arrive in Judah? And a letter to Asaph, keeper of the royal forest, so he will give me timber for the gates of the citadel by the Temple, for the city wall, and for a residence for myself.”— Nehemiah 2:7-8

The king granted everything. He gave him the letters, the timber, army officers and cavalry as escort, and appointed him governor of Judah. A cupbearer had just been given authority over an entire province. Scripture records why any of this was possible. "Because the gracious hand of my God was on me."