probably the reason why Nehemiah mentions the fact that the queen was
sitting by him. Perhaps he hailed the circumstance as a proof that the
king was in good humour that day, and would therefore be more likely to
listen to his petition. But no one who was not closely related to the
king was allowed to sit at the royal table, even the most privileged
courtiers sat on the floor and ate at his feet.

The feast has begun, and it is time for the Rab-shakeh to present the
wine to the king. He takes the jewelled cup from the table in the king's
presence, he carefully washes it, then he fills it with a specially rare
wine, named the wine of Helbon, which was kept only for the king's use.
This wine was made from a very fine growth of grapes, at a place in the
Lebanon not far from Damascus, named Helbon. Then Nehemiah pours a
little wine into his left hand and drinks it, and then, lightly holding
the cup between the tips of his fingers and thumbs, he gracefully
presents it to the great monarch.

Artaxerxes glances at his cup-bearer as he rises from his knees, and at
once notices something remarkable in his face. Nehemiah is pale and
anxious and troubled; his whole face tells of the struggle going on
within, and the king cannot fail to perceive it. Turning to the
Rab-shakeh he asks: 'Why is thy countenance sad, seeing thou art not
sick? this is nothing else but sorrow of heart.' 'Then,' says Nehemiah,
'I was very sore afraid.' It is no wonder that he was alarmed, for it
was actually a crime, proscribed by law, for any one to look sad or
depressed in the presence of a Persian king. However heavy might be his
heart, however sorrowful his spirit, he must cross the threshold of the
palace with a smiling face, and show no signs in the king's presence of
the trouble within. But Nehemiah's face has betrayed him. What will the
king do? Will he dismiss him from office? Will he degrade him from his