Nehemiah 1
1. The words of Nehemiah the son of Hachaliah. And it came to pass in the month Chisleu, in the twentieth year, as I was in Shushan the palace,
2. That Hanani, one of my brethren, came * , he and certain men of Judah; and I asked * them concerning the Jews that had escaped, which were left * of the captivity, and concerning Jerusalem.
3. And they said * unto me, The remnant * that 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 thereof are burned * with fire.
4. And it came to pass, when I heard * these words, that I sat down * and wept * , and mourned * certain days, and fasted * , and prayed * before the God of heaven,
5. And said * , I beseech thee, O LORD God of heaven, the great and terrible * God, that keepeth * covenant and mercy for them that love * him and observe * his commandments:
6. Let thine ear now be attentive, and thine eyes open * , that thou mayest hear * the prayer of thy servant, which I pray * before thee now, day and night, for the children of Israel thy servants, and confess * the sins of the children of Israel, which we have sinned * against thee: both I and my father's house have sinned * .
7. We have dealt very * corruptly * against thee, and have not kept * the commandments, nor the statutes, nor the judgments,which thou commandedst * thy servant Moses.
8. Remember * , I beseech thee, the word that thou commandedst * thy servant Moses, saying * , If ye transgress * , I will scatter you abroad * among the nations:
9. But if ye turn * unto me, and keep * my commandments, and do * them; though there were of you cast out * unto the uttermost part of the heaven, yet will I gather * them from thence, and will bring * them unto the place that I have chosen * to set * my name there.
10. Now these are thy servants and thy people,whom thou hast redeemed * by thy great power, and by thy strong hand.
11. O Lord, I beseech thee, let now thine ear be attentive to the prayer of thy servant, and to the prayer of thy servants, who desire to fear * thy name: and prosper * , I pray thee, thy servant this day, and grant * him mercy in the sight of this man. For I was the king's cupbearer * .
