Neh 1 | NASB2020 | STEP | The words of Nehemiah the son of Hacaliah . Now it happened in the month Chislev , in the twentieth year , while I was in Susa the capitol ,

Nehemiah 1

Nehemiah’s Grief for the Exiles

1 The words of ^aNehemiah the son of Hacaliah.

Now it happened in ^bthe month Chislev, ^cin the twentieth year, while I was in ^dSusa the ^{▼▼Or acropolis}capitol, 2 that ^fHanani, one of my brothers, ^{▼▼Lit he and men}and some men from Judah came; and I asked them about the Jews who had escaped ^{▼▼Lit who survived}and had survived the captivity, and about Jerusalem. 3 And they said to me, “The remnant there in the ⁱprovince who survived the captivity are in great distress and ^jdisgrace, and ^kthe wall of Jerusalem is broken down and ^lits gates have been burned with fire.”

4 Now when I heard these words, ^mI sat down and wept and mourned for days; and I was fasting and praying before ⁿthe God of heaven. 5 I said, “Please, Lord God of heaven, ^othe great and awesome God, ^pwho keeps the covenant and faithfulness for those who love Him and keep His commandments: 6 ^qlet Your ear now be attentive and Your eyes open, to hear the prayer of Your servant which I am praying before You now, day and night, on behalf of the sons of Israel Your servants, ^rconfessing the sins of the sons of Israel which we have committed against You; ^sI and my father’s house have sinned. 7 ^tWe have acted very corruptly against You and have not kept the commandments, nor the statutes, nor the ordinances ^uwhich You commanded Your servant Moses. 8 Remember, please, the word which You commanded Your servant Moses, saying, ‘ ^vIf you are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the peoples; 9 ^wbut if you return to Me and keep My commandments and do them, though those of you who have been scattered were in the most remote part of the heavens, I ^xwill gather them from there and bring them ^yto the place where I have chosen to have My name dwell.’ 10 ^zThey are Your servants and Your people whom You redeemed by Your great power and by Your strong hand. 11 Please, Lord, ^aamay Your ear be attentive to the prayer of Your servant and the prayer of Your servants who delight to ^{▼▼Or fear}revere Your name, and please make Your servant successful today and grant him mercy before this man.”

Now I was the ^accupbearer to the king.