The Meaning of Nehemiah 13:6 Explained

Nehemiah 13:6

KJV: 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:

YLT: And during all this I was not in Jerusalem, for in the thirty and second year of Artaxerxes king of Babylon did I come unto the king, and at the end of days I have asked of the king,

Darby: And during all that time I was not at Jerusalem; for in the two-and-thirtieth year of Artaxerxes king of Babylon I came to the king; and after some time I obtained leave of the king.

ASV: But in all this time I was not at Jerusalem; for in the two and thirtieth year of Artaxerxes king of Babylon I went unto the king: and after certain days asked I leave of the king,

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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: 

What does Nehemiah 13:6 Mean?

Context Summary

Nehemiah 13:1-14 - Neglect Of Religious Duties
In Nehemiah 12:44-47 we have recorded the care that was manifested for the worthy maintenance of those who ministered in sacred things. As a result there were glad outbursts of minstrelsy and holy joy. Make room in your life for songs and praises, Psalms 33:1. In the opening of Nehemiah 13:1-31 we see how the Word of God cuts like a two-edged sword against evil. Happy are they who attend to its solemn warnings. The law referred to here was Deuteronomy 23:3-5. Tobiah was an Ammonite, and it was a scandalous thing that the high priest was not only allied to him by marriage, but had cast out the stores of the Temple in order to make room for him in the sacred edifice. Tobiah's influence was so great that the rest shrank from putting the law of separation into operation against him. When Nehemiah returned from a long sojourn in Persia he cast out all of Tobiah's goods, and restored the chamber to its proper use. If we have given up a chamber in our heart to any Tobiah, we must be prepared to do likewise. [source]

Chapter Summary: Nehemiah 13

1  Upon the reading of the law, separation is made from the mixed multitude
4  Nehemiah, at his return, causes the chambers to be cleansed
10  He reforms the offices in the house of God;
15  the violation of the Sabbath;
23  and the marriages with the strange wives

What do the individual words in Nehemiah 13:6 mean?

But during all this not I was in Jerusalem for in the year thirty and two of Artaxerxes king of Babylon I had returned to the king and after certain days I obtained leave from the king
וּבְכָל־ זֶ֕ה לֹ֥א הָיִ֖יתִי בִּֽירוּשָׁלִָ֑ם כִּ֡י בִּשְׁנַת֩ שְׁלֹשִׁ֨ים וּשְׁתַּ֜יִם לְאַרְתַּחְשַׁ֤סְתְּא מֶֽלֶךְ־ בָּבֶל֙ בָּ֣אתִי אֶל־ הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ וּלְקֵ֥ץ יָמִ֖ים נִשְׁאַ֥לְתִּי מִן־ הַמֶּֽלֶךְ

וּבְכָל־  But  during  all 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
זֶ֕ה  this 
Parse: Pronoun, masculine singular
Root: זֶה  
Sense: this, this one, here, which, this … that, the one … the other, another, such.
הָיִ֖יתִי  I  was 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, first person common singular
Root: אֶהְיֶה 
Sense: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.
בִּֽירוּשָׁלִָ֑ם  in  Jerusalem 
Parse: Preposition-b, Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: יְרוּשָׁלַםִ  
Sense: the chief city of Palestine and capital of the united kingdom and the nation of Judah after the split.
בִּשְׁנַת֩  in  the  year 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: שָׁנָה  
Sense: year.
שְׁלֹשִׁ֨ים  thirty 
Parse: Number, common plural
Root: שְׁלֹשִׁים  
Sense: thirty, thirtieth.
וּשְׁתַּ֜יִם  and  two 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Number, fd
Root: שְׁנַיִם  
Sense: two.
לְאַרְתַּחְשַׁ֤סְתְּא  of  Artaxerxes 
Parse: Preposition-l, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: אַרְתַּחְשַׁסְתְּא 
Sense: son and successor of Xerxes as emperor of Persia, 465–424 BC.
מֶֽלֶךְ־  king 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: מֶלֶךְ 
Sense: king.
בָּבֶל֙  of  Babylon 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: בָּבֶל  
Sense: Babel or Babylon, the ancient site and/or capital of Babylonia (modern Hillah) situated on the Euphrates.
בָּ֣אתִי  I  had  returned 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, first person common singular
Root: בֹּוא 
Sense: to go in, enter, come, go, come in.
הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ  the  king 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: מֶלֶךְ 
Sense: king.
וּלְקֵ֥ץ  and  after 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: קֵץ  
Sense: end.
יָמִ֖ים  certain  days 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: יׄום 
Sense: day, time, year.
נִשְׁאַ֥לְתִּי  I  obtained  leave 
Parse: Verb, Nifal, Perfect, first person common singular
Root: שָׁאַל 
Sense: to ask, enquire, borrow, beg.
הַמֶּֽלֶךְ  the  king 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: מֶלֶךְ 
Sense: king.