1
The words[H1697] of Nehemiah[H5166] the son[H1121] of Hachaliah[H2446]. And it came to pass in the month[H2320]Chisleu[H3691], in the twentieth[H6242]year[H8141], as I was in Shushan[H7800] the palace[H1002],
2
That Hanani[H2607], one[H259] of my brethren[H251], came[H935], he and certain men[H582] of Judah[H3063]; and I asked[H7592] them concerning the Jews[H3064] that had escaped[H6413], which were left[H7604] of the captivity[H7628], and concerning Jerusalem[H3389].
3
And they said[H559] unto me, The remnant[H7604] that are left[H7604] of the captivity[H7628] there in the province[H4082] are in great[H1419]affliction[H7451] and reproach[H2781]: the wall[H2346] of Jerusalem[H3389] also is broken down[H6555], and the gates[H8179] thereof are burned[H3341] with fire[H784].
4
And it came to pass, when I heard[H8085] these words[H1697], that I sat down[H3427] and wept[H1058], and mourned[H56] certain days[H3117], and fasted[H6684], and prayed[H6419]before[H6440] the God[H430] of heaven[H8064],
5
And said[H559], I beseech[H577] thee, O LORD[H3068]God[H430] of heaven[H8064], the great[H1419] and terrible[H3372]God[H410], that keepeth[H8104]covenant[H1285] and mercy[H2617] for them that love[H157] him and observe[H8104] his commandments[H4687]:
6
Let thine ear[H241]now[H3117] be attentive[H7183], and thine eyes[H5869]open[H6605], that thou mayest hear[H8085] the prayer[H8605] of thy servant[H5650], which I pray[H6419]before[H6440] thee now[H3117], day[H3119] and night[H3915], for the children[H1121] of Israel[H3478] thy servants[H5650], and confess[H3034] the sins[H2403] of the children[H1121] of Israel[H3478], which we have sinned[H2398] against thee: both I and my father's house[H1004] have sinned[H2398].
7
We have dealt very[H2254]corruptly[H2254] against thee, and have not kept[H8104] the commandments[H4687], nor the statutes[H2706], nor the judgments[H4941], which thou commandedst[H6680] thy servant[H5650]Moses[H4872].
8Remember[H2142], I beseech thee, the word[H1697] that thou commandedst[H6680] thy servant[H5650]Moses[H4872], saying[H559], If ye transgress[H4603], I will scatter you abroad[H6327] among the nations[H5971]:
9
But if ye turn[H7725] unto me, and keep[H8104] my commandments[H4687], and do[H6213] them; though there were of you cast out[H5080] unto the uttermost part[H7097] of the heaven[H8064], yet will I gather[H6908] them from thence, and will bring[H935] them unto the place[H4725] that I have chosen[H977] to set[H7931] my name[H8034] there.
10
Now these are thy servants[H5650] and thy people[H5971], whom thou hast redeemed[H6299] by thy great[H1419]power[H3581], and by thy strong[H2389]hand[H3027].
11
O Lord[H136], I beseech[H577] thee, let now thine ear[H241] be attentive[H7183] to the prayer[H8605] of thy servant[H5650], and to the prayer[H8605] of thy servants[H5650], who desire[H2655] to fear[H3372] thy name[H8034]: and prosper[H6743], I pray thee, thy servant[H5650] this day[H3117], and grant[H5414] him mercy[H7356] in the sight[H6440] of this man[H376]. For I was the king's cupbearer[H8248].