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Nehemiah 2:2-4
Christian Standard Bible
Nehemiah 2:2-4
Christian Standard Bible
2 so the king said to me, “Why do you look so sad,(A) when you aren’t sick? This is nothing but sadness of heart.”(B)
I was overwhelmed with fear 3 and replied to the king, “May the king live forever! Why should I[a] not be sad when the city where my ancestors are buried lies in ruins and its gates have been destroyed by fire?” (C)
4 Then the king asked me, “What is your request?”
So I prayed to the God of the heavens(D)
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- 2:3 Lit my face
Nehemiah 2:2-4
New International Version
Nehemiah 2:2-4
New International Version
2 so the king asked me, “Why does your face look so sad when you are not ill? This can be nothing but sadness of heart.”
I was very much afraid, 3 but I said to the king, “May the king live forever!(A) Why should my face not look sad when the city(B) where my ancestors are buried lies in ruins, and its gates have been destroyed by fire?(C)”
4 The king said to me, “What is it you want?”
Then I prayed to the God of heaven,
Nehemiah 2:2-4
King James Version
Nehemiah 2:2-4
King James Version
2 Wherefore the king said unto me, Why is thy countenance sad, seeing thou art not sick? this is nothing else but sorrow of heart. Then I was very sore afraid,
3 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?
4 Then the king said unto me, For what dost thou make request? So I prayed to the God of heaven.
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Nehemiah 2:2-4
New King James Version
Nehemiah 2:2-4
New King James Version
2 Therefore the king said to me, “Why is your face sad, since you are not sick? This is nothing but (A)sorrow of heart.”
So I became [a]dreadfully afraid, 3 and said to the king, (B)“May the king live forever! Why should my face not be sad, when (C)the city, the place of my fathers’ tombs, lies waste, and its gates are burned with (D)fire?”
4 Then the king said to me, “What do you request?”
So I (E)prayed to the God of heaven.
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- Nehemiah 2:2 Lit. very much
Christian Standard Bible (CSB)
The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible®, and CSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers, all rights reserved.
New International Version (NIV) 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.
New King James Version (NKJV) 
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.