Chapter 1
1The words of Nehemiah the son of Hacaliah. Now it happened in the
month Chislev, in the twentieth year, as I was in Shushan the palace,
2that Hanani, one of my brothers, came, he and certain men out of Judah;
and I asked them concerning the Jews who had escaped, who were left of the
captivity, and concerning Jerusalem.
3They said to me, The remnant who
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 of it are
burned with fire.
4It happened, 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,
5and said, I beg you, Yahweh, the God of heaven, the great
and awesome God, who keeps covenant and loving kindness with those who love
him and keep his commandments:
6Let your ear now be attentive, and your
eyes open, that you may listen to the prayer of your servant, which I pray
before you at this time, day and night, for the children of Israel your
servants while I confess the sins of the children of Israel, which we have
sinned against you. Yes, I and my father’s house have sinned:
7we have
dealt very corruptly against you, and have not kept the commandments, nor the
statutes, nor the ordinances, which you commanded your servant Moses.
8Remember, I beg you, the word that you commanded your servant Moses,
saying, If you trespass, I will scatter you abroad among the peoples:
9but if you return to 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 there, and will bring them to the place that I have chosen,
to cause my name to dwell there.
10Now these are your servants and your
people, whom you have redeemed by your great power, and by your strong hand.
11Lord, I beg you, let now your ear be attentive to the prayer of your
servant, and to the prayer of your servants, who delight to fear your name;
and please prosper your servant this day, and grant him mercy in the sight of
this man. Now I was cup bearer to the king.
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