| 1 | The words
or
story of Nehemiah son of Hacaliah: Now in the month of Chislev in the twentieth year [of the Persian king], as I was in the castle of Shushan, |
| 2 | Hanani, one of my kinsmen, came with certain men from Judah, and I asked them about the surviving Jews who had escaped exile, and about Jerusalem. |
| 3 | And they said to me, The remnant there in the province who escaped exile are in great trouble and reproach; the wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its [fortified] gates are destroyed by fire. |
| 4 | When I heard this, I sat down and wept and mourned for days and fasted and prayed [constantly] before the God of heaven, |
| 5 | And I said, O Lord God of heaven, the great and terrible God, Who keeps covenant, loving-kindness,
and
mercy for those who love Him and keep His commandments, |
| 6 | Let Your ear now be attentive and Your eyes open to listen to the prayer of Your servant which I pray before You day and night for the Israelites, Your servants, confessing the sins of the Israelites which we have sinned against You. Yes, I and my father’s house have sinned. |
| 7 | We have acted very corruptly against You and have not kept the commandments, statutes, and ordinances which You commanded Your servant Moses. |
| 8 | Remember [earnestly] what You commanded Your servant Moses: If you transgress
and
are unfaithful, I will scatter you abroad among the nations; |
| 9 | But if you return to Me and keep My commandments and do them, though your outcasts were in the farthest part of the heavens [the expanse of outer space], yet will I gather them from there and will bring them to the place in which I have chosen to set My
[a]Name. |
| 10 | Now these are Your servants and Your people, whom You have redeemed by Your great power and by Your strong hand. |
| 11 | O Lord, let Your ear be attentive to the prayer of Your servant and the prayer of Your servants who delight to revere
and
fear Your name (Your nature and attributes); and prosper, I pray You, Your servant this day and grant him mercy in the sight of this man. For I was cupbearer to the king. |
Cross references:
-
Nehemiah 1:7 : Deut. 6:1-9.
-
Nehemiah 1:8 : Lev. 26:33.
-
Nehemiah 1:9 : Deut. 30:1-5.
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