Nehemiah 1
New King James Version

Nehemiah Prays for His People

1 The words of^(A)Nehemiah the son of Hachaliah.

It came to pass in the month of Chislev,inthe^(B)twentieth year, as I was in^(C)Shushan^[a]the^[b]citadel,²that^(D)Hanani one of my brethren came with men from Judah; and I asked them concerning the Jews who had escaped, who had survived the captivity, and concerning Jerusalem.³And they said to me, “The survivors who are left from the captivity in the^(E)provincearethere in great distress and^(F)reproach.^(G)The wall of Jerusalem^(H)isalso broken down, and its gates are burned with fire.”

⁴So it was, when I heard these words, that I sat down and wept, and mournedfor manydays; I was fasting and praying before the God of heaven.

⁵And I said: “I pray,^(I)LordGod of heaven, O great and^(J)awesome God,^(K)Youwho keepYourcovenant and mercy with those who love^[c]You and observe^[d]Your commandments,⁶please let Your ear be attentive and^(L)Your eyes open, that You may hear the prayer of Your servant which I pray before You now, day and night, for the children of Israel Your servants, and^(M)confess the sins of the children of Israel which we have sinned against You. Both my father’s house and I have sinned.⁷^(N)We have acted very corruptly against You, and have^(O)not kept the commandments, the statutes, nor the ordinances which You commanded Your servant Moses.⁸Remember, I pray, the word that You commanded Your servant Moses, saying,^(P)‘Ifyou^[e]are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the nations;⁹^(Q)butifyou return to Me, and keep My commandments and do them,^(R)though some of you were cast out to the farthest part of the heavens,yetI will gather them from there, and bring them to the place which I have chosen as a dwelling for My name.’¹⁰^(S)Now theseareYour servants and Your people, whom You have redeemed by Your great power, and by Your strong hand.¹¹O Lord, I pray, please^(T)let Your ear be attentive to the prayer of Your servant, and to the prayer of Your servants who^(U)desire to fear Your name; and let Your servant prosper this day, I pray, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man.”