How Nehemiah wrestled with God and prevailed we read in the foregoing chapter; now here we are told how, like Jacob, he prevailed with men also, and so found that his prayers were heard and answered. I.

When Nehemiah had prayed for the relief of his countrymen, and perhaps in David’s words (Ps. 51:18, Build thou the walls of Jerusalem), he did not sit still and say, “Let God now do his own work, for I have no more to do,” but set himself to forecast what he could do towards it.

We are here told, I. Now Nehemiah was dismissed by the court he was sent from. The king appointed captains of the army and horsemen to go with him , both for his guard and to show that he was a man whom the king did delight to honour, that all the king’s servants might respect him accordingly.