1These are the words of Nehemiah son of Hacaliah: In the month of Chislev, in the twentieth year, while I was in the citadel of Susa,[ † ]Nehemiah 10:1Nehemiah 2:1Esther 1:1-2, 5Daniel 8:2 2Hanani, one of my brothers, arrived with men from Judah. So I questioned them about the remnant of the Jews who had survived the exile, and also about Jerusalem.[ † ]Nehemiah 7:2
3And they told me, “The remnant who survived the exile are there in the province, in great trouble and disgrace. The wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates have been burned with fire.”[ † ]Nehemiah 7:6Nehemiah 2:172 Kings 25:10
4When I heard these words, I sat down and wept. I mourned for days, fasting and praying before the God of heaven.
5Then I said: “O Lord, God of heaven, the great and awesome God who keeps His covenant of loving devotion with those who love Him and keep His commandments,[ † ]Daniel 9:4Nehemiah 4:14Exodus 20:6Exodus 34:6-7Psalms 89:2-3
6let Your eyes be open and Your ears attentive to hear the prayer that I, Your servant, now pray before You day and night for Your servants, the Israelites. I confess the sins that we Israelites have committed against You. Both I and my father’s house have sinned.[ † ]1 Kings 8:28-292 Chronicles 6:40Daniel 9:17-18Ezra 10:1Nehemiah 9:2Daniel 9:20 7We have behaved corruptly against You and have not kept the commandments, statutes, and ordinances that You gave Your servant Moses.[ † ]Psalms 106:6Daniel 9:5Deuteronomy 28:15
8Remember, I pray, the word that You commanded Your servant Moses when You said, ‘If you are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the nations,[ † ]Leviticus 26:33Deuteronomy 4:25-27Deuteronomy 28:63-67 9but if you return to Me and keep and practice My commandments, then even if your exiles have been banished to the farthest horizon, I will gather them from there and bring them to the place I have chosen as a dwelling for My Name.’[ † ]Leviticus 26:39Deuteronomy 4:29-31Deuteronomy 30:2-5Deuteronomy 30:4
10They are Your servants and Your people. You redeemed them by Your great power and mighty hand.[ † ]Exodus 32:11Deuteronomy 9:29Daniel 9:15
11O Lord, may Your ear be attentive to my prayer and to the prayers of Your servants who delight to revere Your name. Give Your servant success this day, I pray, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man.” (At that time I was the cupbearer to the king.)[ † ]Nehemiah 1:6Isaiah 26:8Hebrews 13:18Genesis 40:21Nehemiah 2:1