Nê-hê-mi 1

News of Jerusalem reaches Nehemiah in Susa

¹The account of Nehemiah son of Hacaliah. In the month of Kislev, in the twentieth year, I was in the citadel of Susa.^{a 2}Hanani, one of my brothers, came with some men from Judah. I asked them about the Jews who had escaped, those who had survived the captivity, and about Jerusalem. ³They said to me, “The survivors of the captivity who are there in the province are in great trouble and disgrace. The wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates have been burned.” ⁴When I heard these words, I sat down and wept. For some days I mourned, and I kept fasting and praying before the God of heaven. ⁵And I said, “Please, LORD, God of heaven, the great and awesome God, who keeps the covenant and faithful love with those who love him and keep his commandments, ⁶let your ear be attentive and your eyes open to hear the prayer of your servant, which I pray before you now, day and night, for the Israelites, your servants. I confess the sins of the Israelites, which we have committed against you. I and my father’s family have sinned. ⁷We have acted very wickedly against you. We have not kept the commandments, the statutes and the rulings that you gave to your servant Moses. ⁸Please remember the word that you gave to your servant Moses: ‘If you are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the nations. ⁹But if you return to me and keep my commandments and obey them, even if your exiles are at the farthest edge of the sky, I will gather them from there and bring them to the place I have chosen as a dwelling for my name.’ ¹⁰They are your servants and your people, whom you redeemed by your great power and your strong hand. ¹¹Please, Lord, let your ear be attentive to the prayer of your servant and to the prayer of your servants who delight to honor your name. Give your servant success today, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man.” Now I was cupbearer to the king.