Nehemiah 2:3 “and replied to the king, “May the king live forever! Why should I not…”

Nehemiah 2:3

and replied to the king, “May the king live forever! Why should I not be sad when the city where my fathers are buried lies in ruins, and its gates have been destroyed by fire?”

Berean Standard Bible

Other translations

King James Version

And said unto the king, Let the king live for ever: why should not my countenance be sad, when the city, the place of my fathers’ sepulchres, lieth waste, and the gates thereof are consumed with fire?

World English Bible

I said to the king, “Let the king live forever! Why shouldn’t my face be sad, when the city, the place of my fathers’ tombs, lies waste, and its gates have been consumed with fire?”

American Standard Version

And I said unto the king, Let the king live for ever: why should not my countenance be sad, when the city, the place of my fathers’ sepulchres, lieth waste, and the gates thereof are consumed with fire?

Geneva Bible 1599

And I said to the King, God saue the King for euer: why should not my countenance be sad, when the citie and house of the sepulchres of my fathers lieth waste, and the gates thereof are deuoured with fire?

Darby Translation

And I said to the king, Let the king live for ever! Why should not my countenance be sad, when the city, the place of my fathers' sepulchres, lies waste, and its gates are consumed with fire?

Young's Literal Translation

and say to the king, 'Let the king to the age live! wherefore should not my face be sad, when the city, the place of the graves of my fathers, [is] a waste, and its gates have been consumed with fire?'

Bible in Basic English

And said to the king, May the king be living for ever: is it not natural for my face to be sad, when the town, the place where the bodies of my fathers are at rest, has been made waste and its doorways burned with fire?

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Cross references

“Let the king”

1 Kings 1:31 Daniel 2:4 Daniel 5:10 Daniel 6:6 Daniel 6:21 Daniel 3:9

1 Kings 1:31 · BSB

Bathsheba bowed facedown in homage to the king and said, “May my lord King David live forever!”

Daniel 2:4 · BSB

Then the astrologers answered the king in Aramaic, “O king, may you live forever! Tell your servants the dream, and we will give the interpretation.”

Daniel 5:10 · BSB

Hearing the outcry of the king and his nobles, the queen entered the banquet hall. “O king, may you live forever!” she said. “Do not let your thoughts terrify you, or your face grow pale.

Daniel 6:6 · BSB

So the administrators and satraps went together to the king and said, “O King Darius, may you live forever!

Daniel 6:21 · BSB

Then Daniel replied, “O king, may you live forever!

Daniel 3:9 · BSB

saying to King Nebuchadnezzar, “O king, may you live forever!

“the city”

Nehemiah 1:3 Psalm 137:6 Lamentations 2:9 Psalm 102:14

Nehemiah 1:3 · BSB

And they told me, “The remnant who survived the exile are there in the province, in great trouble and disgrace. The wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates have been burned with fire.”

Psalm 137:6 · BSB

May my tongue cling to the roof of my mouth if I do not remember you, if I do not exalt Jerusalem as my greatest joy!

Lamentations 2:9 · BSB

Her gates have sunk into the ground; He has destroyed and shattered their bars. Her king and her princes are exiled among the nations, the law is no more, and even her prophets find no vision from the LORD.

Psalm 102:14 · BSB

For Your servants delight in her stones and take pity on her dust.

“the place”

2 Chronicles 21:20 2 Chronicles 28:27 2 Chronicles 32:33

2 Chronicles 21:20 · BSB

Jehoram was thirty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem eight years. He died, to no one’s regret, and was buried in the City of David, but not in the tombs of the kings.

2 Chronicles 28:27 · BSB

And Ahaz rested with his fathers and was buried in the city of Jerusalem, but he was not placed in the tombs of the kings of Israel. And his son Hezekiah reigned in his place.

2 Chronicles 32:33 · BSB

And Hezekiah rested with his fathers and was buried in the upper tombs of David’s descendants. All Judah and the people of Jerusalem paid him honor at his death. And his son Manasseh reigned in his place.

Cross references adapted from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0) and the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.

In context

2so the king said to me, “Why is your face sad, though you are not ill? This could only be sadness of the heart.” I was overwhelmed with fear

4“What is your request?” replied the king. So I prayed to the God of heaven

Read Nehemiah 2