Judah
was a district within the province Beyond the River,
but by requesting letters
till he comes to Judah
implies that Nehemiah was confident that once he entered Judean territory, he would no longer face the hostility that he anticipated while traversing other districts. It is striking that Nehemiah again makes no reference to the term Jerusalem.
By now the king has had ample time to recall his previous decree to cease reconstruction (Ezra 4:21), so one wonders why Nehemiah continues to avoid the term. Is he simply playing it safe?
7 And I said to the king, “If it pleases the king, let letters be given me to the governors of the province Beyond the River, that they may let me pass through until I come to Judah,