Nehemiah 13:6

In all this time. Literally, “And during all this,” that is, the affairs of Eliashib and Tobiah.

The two and thirtieth year. See on ch. 5:14.

King of Babylon. This title had been borne by Cyrus, Cambyses, Darius I, and by Xerxes during the early years of his reign. It had been officially abolished by the latter after the two rebellions that occurred during his reign. Nehemiah probably uses the title by which he had been so long accustomed to call the king of Persia.

After certain days. Literally “at the end of days,” denoting a definite interval of time (see on Gen. 4:3). The view of some commentators that it means a year lacks evidence. The stay of Nehemiah at the court of Persia must have continued longer than a year, for it seems unlikely that so many illegal acts on the part of the Jewish community as Nehemiah discovered upon his return could have occurred in so short a time.

Leave. It is from this passage only that we know of Nehemiah’s two terms as governor. His first term was for 12 years (ch. 5:14), but no indication is given of the length of his second term. It must have ended before 407 B.C., when, we know from an Elephantine letter, the governor of Judea was Bigvai (see on ch. 12:11).