Nehemiah Prays for His People

THE words of Nehemiah the son of Hachaliah.

It came to pass in the month of Chrislev, in the 

twentieth year, as I was in Shushan the citadel,

that Hanani one of my breathren

came with men from Judah;

and I asked  them concerning the Jews who had

escaped, who had survived the captivity,

and concerning Jerusalem.

And they said to me, "The survivors

who are left from the captivity in the 

province are there in great distress and 

reproach. The wall of Jerusalem is also

broken down , and its gates are burned

with fire."

So it was, when I heard these words,

that I sat down and wept , and mourned

for many days; I was fasting and praying

before the God of heaven.

And I said: " I pray, LORD God of

heaven, O great and awesome God, You

who keep your covenant and mercy

with those who love You and observe

Your commandments,

"please let Your ear 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

my father's house and I have sinned.

" We have acted very corruptly

against You, and have not kept the

commandments, the statues, nor the 

ordinances which You commanded Your 

servant Moses.

"Remember, I pray , the word that

You commanded Your servant Moses,

saying, 'If you are unfaithful, I will 

scatter you among the nations,

'but if you return to Me, and keep My 

commandments and do them, though

some of you were cast out to the farthest

part of the heavens, yet I will gather

them from there, and bring them to the

place which I have chosen as a dwelling

for My name.

" Now these are Your servants and Your people,

whom you have redeemed by Your great power,

and by Your strong hand.

" O Lord, I pray , please let Your ear 

be attentive to the prayer of Your servant,

and to the prayer of Your servants

who desire to fear Your name ;

and let Your servant prosper this day,

I pray, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man."

For I was the king's cupbearer.