Nehemiah 1 Holman Christian Standard Bible

1 The words of Nehemiah^(A) son of Hacaliah:

News from Jerusalem

During the month of Chislev^[a]^(B) in the twentieth year,^[b]^(C) when I was in the fortress city of Susa,^(D) ²Hanani,^(E) one of my brothers, arrived with men from Judah, and I questioned them about Jerusalem and the Jewish remnant^(F) that had survived the exile.^(G) ³They said to me, “The remnant in the province,^(H) who survived the exile, are in great trouble and disgrace. Jerusalem’s wall has been broken down, and its gates have been burned down.”^(I)

Nehemiah’s Prayer

⁴When I heard these words, I sat down and wept. I mourned for a number of days, fasting and praying^(J) before the God of heaven.^(K) ⁵I said,^(L)

Yahweh, the God of heaven, the great and awe-inspiring God who keeps His gracious covenant with those who love Him^(M) and keep His commands,^(N) ⁶let Your eyes be open and Your ears be attentive^(O) to hear Your servant’s prayer that I now pray to You day and night^(P) for Your servants, the Israelites. I confess the sins^[c] we have committed against You. Both I and my father’s house have sinned.^(Q) ⁷We have acted corruptly toward You and have not kept the commands, statutes, and ordinances You gave Your servant Moses.^(R) ⁸Please remember what You commanded Your servant Moses: “If you are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the peoples.^(S) ⁹But if you return to Me and carefully observe My commands, even though your exiles were banished to the ends of the earth,^[d] I will gather them from there and bring them to the place where I chose to have My name dwell.”^(T) ¹⁰They are Your servants and Your people. You redeemed them by Your great power and strong hand.^(U) ¹¹Please, Lord, let Your ear be attentive^(V) to the prayer of Your servant and to that of Your servants who delight to revere Your name. Give Your servant success today,^(W) and have compassion on him in the presence of this man.^[e]^(X)