Nehemiah’s Prayer for Those Returned from Captivity |
Nehemiah 1:1-11 The Book of Nehemiah in [Smaller Chunks] |
The words of Nehemiah, [Hachaliah’s] son. In the month Chisleu, it [happened] in the 20th year, [while] I was in the palace in Shushan, that Hanani, one of my brethren, came [with some] men of Judah. |
I asked them [about] the Jews [who] had escaped, [who] were left [from] the captivity & [about] Jerusalem. And they [told] me, [Those remaining from] captivity, there in the province, are [suffering] great affliction & [disgrace.] |
The wall of Jerusalem is also broken down & [its] gates are burned with fire. And it happened,] when I heard these words, I, [Nehemiah,] sat down & wept, mourned [for some time] & fasted. |
And [I] prayed before the God of heaven & said, I [beg] You, O Lord God of heaven, the great & terrible God, [Who] keeps covenant [contract] & mercy for [those who] love Him & [do] His commandments. |
Let Your ears, now be attentive & Your eyes open, [so] that You may hear the prayer of your servant, [that] I pray before You now, day & night, for the children [people] of Israel, Your servants. |
And [I] confess the sins of the children [people] of Israel, [who] have sinned against You. Both my father’s [family] & I have sinned. We have [acted] very corruptly against You & haven’t kept the commandments, [mandates,] nor judgments, [that] You commanded Your servant, Moses. |
I [beg] You, remember [what] You commanded, Your servant, Moses, saying, If you transgress, I will scatter you among the nations. [Acts 7:40-43 Saying to Aaron, Make us gods to go [in front of] us. As for this Moses, [who] brought us out of the land of Egypt, we [don’t know] what has become of him. |
And they made a calf in those days & offered sacrifice to the idol & rejoiced in the [work made by] their own hands. Then God turned [away] & gave them up to worship the [stars & constellations] of heaven. |
As it is written in the book of the prophets, O you house of Israel, have you offered to Me slain [animals] & sacrifices [over] the space of 40 years in the wilderness? [Yet,] you took up the tabernacle of Moloch & the star of your god, Remphan, figures you made to worship them & I will carry you away beyond Babylon.] |
But if you [return] to Me & keep My commandments & do them; [although] there were [some] of you were [thrown] out to the [furthest ends] of heaven, [still] I will gather them from [there] & will bring them to the place that I have chosen to [put] My Name. |
Now, these are Your servants & Your people, whom You have redeemed by Your great power & by Your strong hand. O Lord, I [beg] You, let Your ear now be attentive to the prayer of Your servant & the prayer of your servants, who desire to fear [respect] Your Name & prosper. |
I, Your servant, pray [to] You this day, [that You] grant him mercy in the sight of this man. For I was the king’s cup-bearer. |