The words of Nehemiah the son of Hachaliah. And it came to pass in the month Chisleu, in the twentieth year, as I was in Shushan the palace,
That Hanani, one of my brothers, came, he and certain men of Judah; and I asked them concerning the Jews that had escaped, which were left of the captivity, and concerning Jerusalem.
And they said to me, The remnant that are left of the captivity there in the province are in great affliction and reproach: the wall of Jerusalem also is broken down, and the gates thereof are burned with fire.
And it came to pass, when I heard these words, that I sat down and wept, and mourned certain days, and fasted, and prayed before the God of heaven,
And said, I beseech you, O LORD God of heaven, the great and terrible God, that keeps covenant and mercy for them that love him and observe his commandments:
Let your ear now be attentive, and 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 confess the sins of the children of Israel, which we have sinned against you: both I and my father's house have sinned.
We have dealt very corruptly against you, and have not kept the commandments, nor the statutes, nor the judgments, which you commanded your servant Moses.
Remember, I beseech you, the word that you commanded your servant Moses, saying, If you transgress, I will scatter you abroad among the nations:
But if you turn to me, and keep my commandments, and do them; though there were of you cast out to the uttermost part of the heaven, yet will I gather them from there, and will bring them to the place that I have chosen to set my name there.
Now these are your servants and your people, whom you have redeemed by your great power, and by your strong hand.
O LORD, I beseech you, let now your ear be attentive to the prayer of your servant, and to the prayer of your servants, who desire to fear your name: and prosper, I pray you, your servant this day, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man. For I was the king's cupbearer.
Canonical academic citations for Nehemiah 1 (AKJV) — copy in your preferred format.
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Twentieth year of Artaxerxes, month of Chislev: Nehemiah in Shushan palace receives Hanani and men from Judah; inquires about Jewish remnant who survived captivity and about Jerusalem; learns survivors in great distress and reproach, wall broken down, gates burned with fire. Nehemiah responds with days of weeping, mourning, fasting, and prayer before God of heaven; confesses Israel's sins including his own and father's house, acknowledges corruption and failure to keep Moses' commandments, statutes, and ordinances given to servant Moses. Prayer recalls God's promise to Moses about scattering for unfaithfulness but gathering upon return and obedience, even from furthest places to His chosen dwelling; pleads for God to hear, grant mercy before the king, noting his position as king's cupbearer.
Rebuilding Jerusalem's walls and community reforms led by Nehemiah.
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