13 he speaks of 'a paradise of pomegranates, with precious fruits.' For three purposes Nehemiah wanted wood from Asaph's paradise, and asked the king to give him an order for it, that he might deliver to the keeper.
He wanted it (1) for the gates of the palace of the house.

_The_ house means the temple, and the palace should be translated the castle.
It was a tower which stood at the north-west corner of the temple platform, and commanded and protected the temple courts.

(2) He required wood for the gates of the wall, and (3) for 'the house that I shall enter into,' i.e.for my own dwelling-house.
All is granted--the royal secretaries are called, and are bidden to write the required instructions to the governors beyond the river, and to Asaph, the bailiff of the forest.

Nehemiah takes no credit to himself that all has gone so prosperously, he does not praise his own courage, or wisdom, or tact in making the request, he knows it is a direct answer to a direct prayer, he recognises the fact that it is God's doing, and not his.
'The king granted me, according to the good hand of my God upon me.' That was Ezra's motto, quoted by him again and again (Ezra vii.

6, 9, 28; viii.