Nehemiah 1

Revised Geneva Translation

1 The words of Nehemiah, the son of Hachaliah: In the month Chislev, in the twentieth year, as I was in the palace of Shushan,

² Hanani (one of my brethren) came, he and the men of Judah. And I asked them concerning the Jews who had escaped, who remained of the captivity, and concerning Jerusalem.

³ And they said to me, “The remnant of the captivity there in the province are in great affliction and reproach. And the wall of Jerusalem is broken down. And its gates are burnt with fire.”

⁴ And when I heard these words, I sat down and wept and mourned for some days. And I fasted and prayed before the God of Heaven,

⁵ and said, “O LORD God of Heaven, the great and terrible God, Who keeps Covenant and mercy for those who love Him and observe His Commandments,

⁶ “I pray, let Your Ears be attentive, and Your Eyes open, to hear the prayer of your servant which I pray before You daily, day and night, for the children of Israel, Your servants, and confess the sins of the children of Israel which we have sinned against You. Both I and my father’s House have sinned.

⁷ “We have grievously sinned against You, and have not kept the Commandments, or the Statutes, or the Judgments, which You commanded Your servant Moses.

⁸ “I pray, remember the Word that You commanded Your servant Moses, saying, ‘You will transgress. And I will scatter you among the nations.

⁹ ‘But if you return to Me, and keep My Commandments, and do them, though your scattering were to the uttermost part of the heaven, I will still gather you from there and will bring you to the place that I have chosen to place My Name.’

¹⁰ “Now these are Your servants and Your people whom You have redeemed by Your great power, and by Your mighty Hand.

¹¹ “O LORD, I pray, let Your Ear now listen to the prayer of Your servant, and to the prayer of Your servants who desire to fear Your Name. And I pray, make Your servant prosper this day, and give him favor in the presence of this man. For I was the king’s butler.”