After the rough life he has led during the last thirteen years, after the perils he has undergone, and the difficulties he has surmounted, he may surely retire, now that his work has been so happily accomplished, and spend the remainder of his life in peace and comfort.
But no; Nehemiah's heart was in Jerusalem, he preferred Jerusalem above his chief joy.

All the time he had been absent he had been hungering for news, and receiving none; there were no posts across the vast deserts, nor did he live in these luxurious days when the heartache of anxiety may be relieved and set at rest by a telegram.

What had been going on in his absence?
Were the Samaritans quiet, or had Sanballat and Tobiah taken the opportunity afforded by his absence, and invaded Jerusalem?
And the people; how were they?
Were they keeping the solemn covenant which had been sealed in his presence?
Were they continuing to serve and obey the Heavenly King?
All this, and much more, Nehemiah longed to hear.
He is therefore only too thankful when, after spending a year in Persia, Artaxerxes gives him leave to return as governor of Jerusalem.
'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.
'After certain days.' This is a common expression in the Bible for a year.

The same Hebrew word is translated a whole year in many other passages, _e.g._ Lev.xxv.29, Num.ix.22.Thus we may safely conclude that a year was the length of time that Nehemiah was absent from Jerusalem.
As soon as he had received the king's permission, Nehemiah left the lovely City of Lilies behind, and set out once more across the desert for Jerusalem.

Probably no one there knew when he was coming, or whether he was coming at all.