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] as I was in the palace in Shushan, that Hanai, 1 of my brethren, came [with some] men of Judah. |
I asked them [about] the Jews [who had returned out] of captivity & [about] Jerusalem. They [told] me, [Those remaining from] captivity, there in the province, are [suffering greatly] & [are disgraced.] |
The wall of Jerusalem is also broken down & [its] gates are burned with fire. When I heard these words, I [Nehemiah,] sat down, wept, mourned for some [time,] fasted. |
[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] You may hear the prayer of your servant, [that] I pray before You now, day & night, for the children [people] of Israel, Your servants. |
[Who] confess the sins of the [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, [rules,] or 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 7:40-42 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, haven’t you offered to Me slain [animals] & sacrifices [over] the space of 40 years in the wilderness?] |
But if you [return] to Me & keep My commandments & do them; [although] you were [thrown] out to the [furthest ends of] heaven, [still] I will gather them from [there] & will bring them to the place there 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 & prosper Your servant & the prayer of your servants, who [delight in showing] fear [respect to] Your Name. |
I, Your servant, pray this [to] You this day, [that You] grant him mercy in the sight of this man. For I was the king’s cup-bearer. |