Nehemiah 1
Report from Jerusalem
The words of aNehemiah the son of Hacaliah.
Now it happened in the month of bChislev, cin the twentieth year, as I was in dSusa the citadel, 2 that aHanani, one of my brothers, came with certain men from Judah. And I asked them concerning the Jews who escaped, who had survived the exile, and concerning Jerusalem. 3 And they said to me, “The remnant there in the province who had survived the exile is in great trouble and ashame. bThe wall of Jerusalem is broken down, cand its gates are destroyed by fire.”
Nehemiah’s Prayer
4 As soon as I heard these words I asat down and wept and mourned for days, and I continued fasting and praying before the bGod of heaven. 5 And I said, “O Lord God of heaven, athe great and awesome God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, 6 alet your ear be attentive and your eyes open, to hear the prayer of your servant that I now pray before you day and night for the people of Israel your servants, bconfessing the sins of the people of Israel, which we have sinned against you. Even cI and my father’s house have sinned. 7 aWe have acted very corruptly against you and have not kept the commandments, the statutes, and the rules bthat you commanded your servant Moses. 8 Remember the word that you commanded your servant Moses, saying, ‘If you are unfaithful, aI will scatter you among the peoples, 9 abut if you return to me and keep my commandments and do them, bthough your outcasts are in the uttermost parts of heaven, from there I will gather them and bring them cto the place that I have chosen, to make my name dwell there.’ 10 aThey are your servants and your people, whom you have redeemed by your great power and by your strong hand. 11 O Lord, alet your ear be attentive to the prayer of your servant, and to the prayer of your servants who delight to fear your name, and give success to your servant today, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man.”
Now I was bcupbearer to the king.
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway,
a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.