“And it came to pass in the month Nisan, in the twentieth year of Artaxerxes the king, that wine was before him: and I took up the wine, and gave it unto the king. Now I had not been beforetime sad in his presence.”
Who is also called Darius, read Ezra 7:1 , and was the son of Hystaspis. Which was the first month of the year, and containeth part of March and part of April.
“Then the king said unto me, For what dost thou make request? So I prayed to the God of heaven.”
I desired God in mine heart to prosper mine enterprise.
“And a letter unto Asaph the keeper of the king's forest, that he may give me timber to make beams for the gates of the palace which appertained to the house, and for the wall of the city, and for the house that I shall enter into. And the king granted me, according to the good hand of my God upon me.”
Or, Paradise. As God moved me to ask, and as he gave me good success therein.
“When Sanballat the Horonite, and Tobiah the servant, the Ammonite, heard of it, it grieved them exceedingly that there was come a man to seek the welfare of the children of Israel.”
These were great enemies to the Jews, and labored always both by force and subtlety to overcome them, and Tobiah, because his wife was a Jewess, had advertisement ever of their affairs, and so wrought them great trouble.
“Then said I unto them, Ye see the distress that we are in, how Jerusalem lieth waste, and the gates thereof are burned with fire: come, and let us build up the wall of Jerusalem, that we be no more a reproach.”
That is, contemned of other nations, as though God had forsaken us.
“Then I told them of the hand of my God which was good upon me; as also the king's words that he had spoken unto me. And they said, Let us rise up and build. So they strengthened their hands for this good work.”
They were encouraged, and gave themselves to do well, and to travel in this worthy enterprise.
“But when Sanballat the Horonite, and Tobiah the servant, the Ammonite, and Geshem the Arabian, heard it, they laughed us to scorn, and despised us, and said, What is this thing that ye do? will ye rebel against the king?”
These were three chief governors under the king of Persia beyond Euphrates. Thus the wicked when they will burden the children of God, ever lay treason unto their charge, both because it maketh them most odious to the world, and also stirreth the hatred of princes most against them.
“Then answered I them, and said unto them, The God of heaven, he will prosper us; therefore we his servants will arise and build: but ye have no portion, nor right, nor memorial, in Jerusalem.”
Neither are ye of the number of the children of God (to whom he hath appointed this city only) neither did any of your predecessors ever fear God.