Nehemiah 13:6

“But in all this time was not I at Jerusalem: for in the two and thirtieth year of Artaxerxes king of Babylon came I unto the king, and after certain days obtained I leave of the king.”

Context:The book of Nehemiah recounts the story of Nehemiah, who was a cupbearer to King Artaxerxes of Persia. Nehemiah received news about the dire state of Jerusalem, its walls broken down and its gates burned with fire. He was burdened by this and obtained permission from the king to return to Jerusalem to rebuild the city walls.

Nehemiah’s absence:In Nehemiah 13:6, Nehemiah states that during a particular time, he was not present in Jerusalem. It refers to the period after Nehemiah had completed the construction of the walls and gates of Jerusalem (as described in earlier chapters) and had returned to the Persian king for a period of time.

Duration of Nehemiah’s absence:The verse specifies that Nehemiah was away for “the two and thirtieth year of Artaxerxes king of Babylon.” The exact length of time is uncertain because there is some ambiguity regarding the identification of the specific Artaxerxes mentioned here. It could refer to Artaxerxes I (465-424 BC) or Artaxerxes II (404-358 BC). Therefore, scholars differ in their interpretations of the timeline.

Nehemiah’s leave from the king:Nehemiah explains that he obtained permission or leave from the king after certain days. This suggests that Nehemiah had to request and receive the king’s permission to return to Jerusalem. Nehemiah was influential in the king’s court, and he likely used his position and favour with the king to secure this leave.

Importance of Nehemiah’s absence:Nehemiah’s absence from Jerusalem during this time period highlights the challenges that arose in his absence. In later verses, Nehemiah discovers that the people had neglected various aspects of their faith and had allowed ungodly practices to creep in. His return to Jerusalem is marked by his efforts to restore the proper worship of God and bring the people back to obedience.