1The words of Nehemiah the son of Hacaliah . Now it came to pass in the month Chislev , in the twentieth year , as I was in Shushan the palace , 2that Hanani , one of my brethren, came , he and certain men out of Judah ; and I asked them concerning the Jews that had escaped , that were left of the captivity , and concerning Jerusalem . 3And they said unto me , The remnant that are left of the captivity there in the province are in great affliction and reproach : the wall of Jerusalem also is broken down , and the gates thereof are burned with fire . 4And it came to pass , when I heard these words , that I sat down and wept , and mourned certain days ; and I fasted and prayed before the God of heaven ,
Nehemiah's Prayer
5and said, I beseech thee, O Jehovah , the God of heaven , the great and terrible God , that keepeth covenant and lovingkindness with them that love him and keep his commandments : 6let thine ear now be attentive , and thine eyes open , that thou mayest hearken unto the prayer of thy servant , which I pray before thee at this time , day and night , for the children of Israel thy servants , while I confess the sins of the children of Israel , which we have sinned against thee . Yea, I and my father ’s house have sinned : 7we have dealt very corruptly against thee , and have not kept the commandments , nor the statutes , nor the ordinances , which thou commandedst thy servant Moses . 8Remember , I beseech thee , the word that thou commandedst thy servant Moses , saying , If ye trespass , I will scatter you abroad among the peoples : 9but if ye return unto me , and keep my commandments and do them , though your outcasts were in the uttermost part of the heavens , yet will I gather them from thence , and will bring them unto the place that I have chosen, to cause my name to dwell there . 10Now these are thy servants and thy people , whom thou hast redeemed by thy great power , and by thy strong hand . 11O Lord, I beseech thee , let now thine ear be attentive to the prayer of thy servant , and to the prayer of thy servants , who delight to fear thy name ; and prosper , I pray thee , thy servant this day , and grant him mercy in the sight of this man . Now I was cupbearer to the king .