Nehemiah 2:6 - Exposition

The queen . It appears from Ctesias ('Exc. Pers.,' § 44) that Artaxerxes Longimanus had but one legitimate wife—a certain Damaspia. Nothing more is known of her besides this mention, and the fact that she died on the same day as her husband. Sitting by him . Not an unusual circumstance. Though, when the monarch entertained guests, the queen remained in her private apartments ( Esther 1:9-12 ), yet on other occasions she frequently took her meals with him. I set him a time . Nehemiah probably mentioned some such time as a year, or two years—such a space as would suffice for the double journey, and the restoration of the fortifications. He stayed away, however, as he tells us ( Nehemiah 5:14 ), twelve years, obtaining no doubt from time to time an extension of his leave (Bertheau).