Nehemiah 1

1 [I am] Nehemiah, the son of Hacaliah. [I am writing] this account [of what I did when I returned to Jerusalem. After King Artaxerxes had been ruling the Persian Empire] for almost 20 years, near the end of that year, I was in Susa, the capital [of Persia].

This is the account of Nehemiah, son of Hacaliah. In the month of Kislev, in the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes' reign, I was in the fortress at Susa.

2 My brother Hanani came to visit me. He and some other men had just returned from Judah. I queried them about the Jews who were living there, whose [parents] had been (exiled/taken forcefully) [to Babylonia many years previously]. I also asked them about [what was happening in] Jerusalem.

Hanani, one of my brothers, came from Judah with some other men. I asked them about the remnant of the Jewish exiles who had returned from captivity, and also about Jerusalem.

3 They said to me, “The Jews in Jerusalem who returned there from Babylonia are living in a very difficult situation. The walls of the city have been broken down, and even the city gates have been burned down.”

They told me, “The remnant who are left from the exile are there in the province, but they are having a great deal of trouble and feel humiliated. Jerusalem's walls have been knocked over, and its gates burned down.”

4 When I heard that, I sat down and cried. For several days I mourned, and I (fasted/abstained from eating food), and I prayed to our God, [who is/rules] in heaven.

When I heard the news, I sat down, weeping and mourning for days, fasting and praying to the God of heaven.

5 I said, “Yahweh, [you who are/rule] in heaven, you are a wonderful and awesome God. You keep your promise to faithfully love those who love you and who obey your commands.

Then I prayed, “Please, Lord God of heaven—the great and awesome God who keeps his agreement of trustworthy love with those who love him and keep his commandments—

6 Now please look down and listen to what I am praying. I pray during the day and at night for your Israeli people. I confess that we Israeli people have sinned. Even my family and I have sinned against you.

please listen and focus your attention on the prayer of your servant that I am praying to you now, day and night, on behalf of your servants, the Israelites. I confess the sins that we Israelites have committed against you, including my own sins and those of my family.

7 We have acted very wickedly. [Many years ago] your servant Moses gave us your laws and all the things you commanded us to do [DOU], but we have not obeyed/done them.

We have done terrible things to offend you and we have not kept the commandments, laws, and regulations that you gave to your servant Moses.

8 “But please remember what you told your servant Moses. You said, ‘If you sin, I will scatter you among the ([heathen nations/nations that do not believe in me]).

Please remember what you told Moses when you said, ‘If you are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the nations,

9 But if you return to me and obey my commands, even if you have been exiled to very remote/distant places on the earth, I will bring you back here [to Israel], the land that I [MTY] have chosen to be honored in.’

but if you come back to me and follow my commandments and obey them, then even if you are exiled to the ends of the earth, I will gather them together and bring them to the place I have chosen where I will be honored.

10 “We are your servants. We are the people whom you brought here by your very great power [MTY, DOU]

They are your servants and our people. You saved them by your great power and incredible ability.

11 Yahweh, please hear this prayer of mine, and the prayers of all your people who are delighted to revere you [MTY]. Today I will go to the king, to request that he do me a great favor. Please motivate him to act kindly toward me, in order that I will be successful [in obtaining what I want].” At that time, I was the one whose work was to taste all the food and drink before it was served to the king, [to be sure that no one had put poison in it].

Lord, please respond to my prayer and to the prayers of those who love to worship you. Please let me be successful today and make the king sympathetic to me.” I was the king's cupbearer.