Chapter 2
This chapter starts in the month Nisan. Chapter one started in Chislev. Here are the Jewish months, as found in a Google Search:
Tishri (Sept/Oct) 7th(?) month, Cheshvan, Kislev, Tivet, Shevat, Adar confirmed as 12th month, Nisan 1st month in March/April, Iyar, Sivan, Tammuz, Av, Elul. Jewish months always begin with a new moon. The calendar is based on the lunar cycle, which is 29.5 days long. Therefore, Jewish months have either 29 or 30 days each. To make the 360 day lunar year of 12 months sync with leap year, and to make sure the months fall at the correct season, there are seven "leap months" in each 19 year cycle. This makes up for the 11 day difference between a solar year and a 12 month lunar year of 360 days work out. The month of Shevat usually, almost always begins in either January or February - depending on the new moon. Sometimes there are two months of Adar on the calendar, one of 30 days, and 2nd Adar would have 29. There are many more rules. A good explanation of all of it is here: https://www.myjewishlearning.com/article/months-of-the-jewish-year/
So, with all that, this chapter begins four months after the last chapter. Nehemiah has a sad face before the king (on purpose or sincerely I cannot tell), and the king asks about it. The king asks Nehemiah what he requests. Here is an example of the "flare prayer". This verse:
4 Then the king said to me, "What are you requesting?" So I prayed to the God of heaven. 5 And I said to the king, "If it pleases the king, and if your servant has found favor in your sight, that you send me to Judah, to the city of my fathers' graves, that I may rebuild it." [Neh 2:4-5 ESV] There's the question, the prayer, and the answer to the question - all in one smooth moment. This is a good FB post.
Nehemiah says it is hard to be happy when the place of his fathers' graves lies in ruins. Nehemiah's request is to return to Judah, to Jerusalem. He asks for letters to the governors (plural) of "the Province Beyond the River" (singular), for safe passage, and he asks a letter to the keeper of the king's forest for timber to repair the walls and the house he will live in. The King, with the Queen also right there, asks how long he will be gone. This seems to indicate that the King and Nehemiah were friendly, that the King wanted his friend to come back. Once Nehemiah sets the time he will be gone, all he requested is granted.
Nehemiah arrives in tPBtR, and presents his letters. Sanballat the Horonite (presumably the governor) and Tobiah his servant, very much disapprove of help being sent to the Jews. In the MSB intro, it says this Sanballat and another mentioned in this book are also mentioned in the "Elaphantine papyrii (Egyptian documents), saying that Sanballat was governor of Samaria at this time.
2023 - I note this year, and for the first time, that Tobiah is the Ammonite servant of Sanballat. In my head, Tobiah was also an official in the Province Beyond the River. Not so. He had the ear of the governor, but was a servant.
Nehemiah goes out by night, unknown to the officials of the city, and he does a thorough inspection of the walls, and assesses what repairs are needed. He's told no one at this time that he is there to repair the walls.
Then Nehemiah persuades those living in Jerusalem to begin repairing the wall. Sanballat and others jeer at them, and then accuse them of rebelling against the King. Nehemiah tells them God is with them. (Had they not read the letter to the keeper of the king's forests?)