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Nehemiah 2

Neh. 2:4 KJV (With Strong’s)

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4
Then the king
melek (Hebrew #4428)
a king
KJV usage: king, royal.
Pronounce: meh'-lek
Origin: from 4427
said
'amar (Hebrew #559)
to say (used with great latitude)
KJV usage: answer, appoint, avouch, bid, boast self, call, certify, challenge, charge, + (at the, give) command(-ment), commune, consider, declare, demand, X desire, determine, X expressly, X indeed, X intend, name, X plainly, promise, publish, report, require, say, speak (against, of), X still, X suppose, talk, tell, term, X that is, X think, use (speech), utter, X verily, X yet.
Pronounce: aw-mar'
Origin: a primitive root
unto me, For what dost thou make request
baqash (Hebrew #1245)
to search out (by any method, specifically in worship or prayer); by implication, to strive after
KJV usage: ask, beg, beseech, desire, enquire, get, make inquisition, procure, (make) request, require, seek (for).
Pronounce: baw-kash'
Origin: a primitive root
? So I prayed
palal (Hebrew #6419)
to judge (officially or mentally); by extension, to intercede, pray
KJV usage: intreat, judge(-ment), (make) pray(-er, -ing), make supplication.
Pronounce: paw-lal'
Origin: a primitive root
f to the God
'elohiym (Hebrew #430)
gods in the ordinary sense; but specifically used (in the plural thus, especially with the article) of the supreme God; occasionally applied by way of deference to magistrates; and sometimes as a superlative
KJV usage: angels, X exceeding, God (gods)(-dess, -ly), X (very) great, judges, X mighty.
Pronounce: el-o-heem'
Origin: plural of 433
of heaven
shamayim (Hebrew #8064)
from an unused root meaning to be lofty; the sky (as aloft; the dual perhaps alluding to the visible arch in which the clouds move, as well as to the higher ether where the celestial bodies revolve)
KJV usage: air, X astrologer, heaven(-s).
Pronounce: shaw-mah'-yim
Origin: dual of an unused singular shameh {shaw-meh'}
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f
Prov. 3:6• 6in all thy ways acknowledge him, and he will make plain thy paths. (Prov. 3:6)
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Phil. 4:6• 6Be careful about nothing; but in everything, by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; (Phil. 4:6)

More on:

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God,
Heaven,
King,
Prayer

Cross References

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Ministry on This Verse

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For what.
1 Kings 3:5• 5In Gibeon Jehovah appeared to Solomon in a dream by night; and God said, Ask what I shall give thee. (1 Kings 3:5)
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Esther 5:3,6• 3And the king said to her, What wilt thou, queen Esther? and what is thy request? it shall be given thee even to the half of the kingdom.
 6And the king said to Esther at the banquet of wine, What is thy petition? and it shall be granted thee; and what is thy request? even to the half of the kingdom it shall be done. (Esther 5:3,6)
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Esther 7:2• 2And the king said again to Esther on the second day, at the banquet of wine, What is thy petition, queen Esther? and it shall be granted thee; and what is thy request? even to the half of the kingdom it shall be done. (Esther 7:2)
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Mark 10:51• 51And Jesus answering says to him, What wilt thou that I shall do to thee? And the blind man said to him, Rabboni, that I may see. (Mark 10:51)
So I prayed.
Neh. 1:4,11• 4And it came to pass, when I heard these words, that I sat and wept, and mourned for days, and fasted, and prayed before the God of the heavens,
 11O Lord, I beseech thee, let now thine ear be attentive to the prayer of thy servant, and to the prayer of thy servants who delight to fear thy name; and prosper, I pray thee, thy servant this day, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man. Now I was the king's cupbearer. (Neh. 1:4,11)
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2 Sam. 15:31• 31And one told David saying, Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom. Then said David, Jehovah, I pray thee, turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness. (2 Sam. 15:31)
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Prov. 3:6• 6in all thy ways acknowledge him, and he will make plain thy paths. (Prov. 3:6)
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Phil. 4:6• 6Be careful about nothing; but in everything, by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; (Phil. 4:6)
• When Artaxerxes’ response proves favorable, Nehemiah immediately prays to the God of Heaven — the One who even now rules over the affairs of men. (“Artaxerxes' Commission - Neh. 2:1-9” by N. Simon)
• The king was not unacquainted with the subject of his cupbearer's sorrow, for it was he who had permitted Ezra to go up to build the temple, and had himself given gold and silver to aid his object. And God used Nehemiah's simple words to interest the king once more in the condition of Jerusalem. (“Exposition on Nehemiah: Nehemiah 2” by E. Dennett)
• Not that we are to conclude that he kept the king waiting; by no means. But the point to be observed is, that before he answered his master he cast himself upon his God—he prayed to the God of heaven. He thus acknowledges his dependence for wisdom to say the right thing, and reveals the special characteristic which another has termed "a heart that habitually turned to God." (“Exposition on Nehemiah: Nehemiah 2” by E. Dennett)

J. N. Darby Translation

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4
And the king said to me, For what dost thou make request? So I prayed to the God of the heavens.