1 These are|strong="H1697" the|strong="H0589" words|strong="H1697" of|strong="H1121" Nehemiah|strong="H5166" son|strong="H1121" of|strong="H1121" Hacaliah|strong="H2446": I|strong="H0589", Nehemiah|strong="H5166", was|strong="H1961" in|strong="H8141" the|strong="H0589" capital city of|strong="H1121" Susa|strong="H7800" in|strong="H8141" the|strong="H0589" month|strong="H2320" of|strong="H1121" Kislev|strong="H3691". This|strong="H1697" was|strong="H1961" in|strong="H8141" the|strong="H0589" 20th year|strong="H8141" that|strong="H1697" Artaxerxes was|strong="H1961" king.
2 While|strong="H1931" I|strong="H0834" was|strong="H0834" in|strong="H5921" Susa, one|strong="H0259" of|strong="H0376" my|strong="H5921" brothers|strong="H0251" named Hanani|strong="H2607" and|strong="H0935" some|strong="H4480" other|strong="H0259" men|strong="H0376" came|strong="H0935" from|strong="H4480" Judah|strong="H3063". I|strong="H0834" asked|strong="H7592" them|strong="H5921" about|strong="H5921" the|strong="H0834" Jews|strong="H3064" who|strong="H0834" had|strong="H0834" escaped|strong="H6413" captivity|strong="H7628" and|strong="H0935" still lived in|strong="H5921" Judah|strong="H3063". I|strong="H0834" also|strong="H0935" asked|strong="H7592" them|strong="H5921" about|strong="H5921" the|strong="H0834" city|strong="H1931" of|strong="H0376" Jerusalem|strong="H3389".
3 They|strong="H0834" answered|strong="H0559", “Nehemiah, the|strong="H0559" Jews who|strong="H0834" escaped captivity|strong="H7628" and|strong="H1419" are|strong="H0834" in|strong="H7604" the|strong="H0559" land of|strong="H8179" Judah are|strong="H0834" in|strong="H7604" much|strong="H0834" trouble|strong="H7451". They|strong="H0834" are|strong="H0834" having many|strong="H1419" problems and|strong="H1419" are|strong="H0834" full of|strong="H8179" shame|strong="H2781" because|strong="H4480" the|strong="H0559" wall|strong="H2346" of|strong="H8179" Jerusalem|strong="H3389" is|strong="H0834" broken|strong="H6555" down|strong="H6555", and|strong="H1419" its|strong="H6555" gates|strong="H8179" have|strong="H0834" been|strong="H0834" burned|strong="H3341" with|strong="H3389" fire|strong="H0784".”
4 When|strong="H1961" I|strong="H3117" heard|strong="H8085" this|strong="H0428" about|strong="H1961" the|strong="H0853" people|strong="H3427" of|strong="H0430" Jerusalem and|strong="H0430" about|strong="H1961" the|strong="H0853" wall, I|strong="H3117" sat|strong="H3427" down|strong="H3427" and|strong="H0430" cried|strong="H1058". I|strong="H3117" was|strong="H1961" very sad. I|strong="H3117" fasted|strong="H6684" and|strong="H0430" prayed|strong="H6419" to|strong="H1961" the|strong="H0853" God|strong="H0430" of|strong="H0430" heaven|strong="H8064" for|strong="H3117" several days|strong="H3117".
5 Then|strong="H0559" I|strong="H0559" prayed|strong="H0559" this|strong="H3068" prayer:
6 “Please|strong="H4994" open|strong="H6440" your|strong="H5921" eyes|strong="H5869" and|strong="H1121" ears|strong="H0241" and|strong="H1121" listen|strong="H8085" to|strong="H0413" the|strong="H6440" prayer|strong="H8605" your|strong="H5921" servant|strong="H5650" is|strong="H0834" praying|strong="H6419" before|strong="H6440" you|strong="H0834" day|strong="H3117" and|strong="H1121" night|strong="H3915". I|strong="H0589" am|strong="H0589" praying|strong="H6419" for|strong="H5921" your|strong="H5921" servants|strong="H5650", the|strong="H6440" Israelites|strong="H3478". I|strong="H0589" confess|strong="H3034" the|strong="H6440" sins|strong="H2398" we|strong="H0834" Israelites|strong="H3478" have|strong="H1961" done|strong="H1961" against|strong="H5921" you|strong="H0834". I|strong="H0589" am|strong="H0589" confessing|strong="H3034" that|strong="H0834" I|strong="H0589" have|strong="H1961" sinned|strong="H2398" against|strong="H5921" you|strong="H0834" and|strong="H1121" that|strong="H0834" the|strong="H6440" other people|strong="H1121" in|strong="H5921" my|strong="H8085" father’s|strong="H0001" family|strong="H1004" have|strong="H1961" sinned|strong="H2398" against|strong="H5921" you|strong="H0834".
7 We|strong="H0834" Israelites have|strong="H0834" been|strong="H0834" very bad to|strong="H8104" you|strong="H0834". We|strong="H0834" have|strong="H0834" not|strong="H3808" obeyed|strong="H8104" the|strong="H0853" commands|strong="H6680", rules|strong="H2706", and|strong="H4872" laws|strong="H2706" you|strong="H0834" gave|strong="H6680" your|strong="H0834" servant|strong="H5650" Moses|strong="H4872".
8 “Please|strong="H4994" remember|strong="H2142" the|strong="H0853" teaching you|strong="H0859" gave|strong="H6680" your|strong="H0834" servant|strong="H5650" Moses|strong="H4872". You|strong="H0859" said|strong="H0559" to|strong="H0559" him|strong="H0853", ‘If|strong="H0834" you|strong="H0859" Israelites are|strong="H0834" not|strong="H2142" faithful, I|strong="H0589" will|strong="H0834" force you|strong="H0859" to|strong="H0559" be|strong="H1697" scattered|strong="H6327" among the|strong="H0853" other nations|strong="H5971".
9 But|strong="H0518" if|strong="H0518" you|strong="H0834" Israelites come|strong="H0935" back|strong="H7725" to|strong="H0413" me|strong="H0413" and|strong="H0935" obey|strong="H6213" my|strong="H8104" commands|strong="H4687", this|strong="H0834" is|strong="H0834" what|strong="H0834" I|strong="H0834" will|strong="H1961" do|strong="H6213": Even|strong="H0518" if|strong="H0518" your|strong="H0834" people|strong="H0834" have|strong="H1961" been|strong="H1961" forced to|strong="H0413" leave their|strong="H7725" homes and|strong="H0935" go|strong="H0935" to|strong="H0413" the|strong="H0853" ends of|strong="H8034" the|strong="H0853" earth|strong="H8064", I|strong="H0834" will|strong="H1961" gather|strong="H6908" them|strong="H0413" from|strong="H7725" there|strong="H8033". And|strong="H0935" I|strong="H0834" will|strong="H1961" bring|strong="H0935" them|strong="H0413" back|strong="H7725" to|strong="H0413" the|strong="H0853" place|strong="H4725" I|strong="H0834" have|strong="H1961" chosen|strong="H0977" to|strong="H0413" put|strong="H0935" my|strong="H8104" name|strong="H8034".’
10 “The|strong="H0834" Israelites are|strong="H0834" your|strong="H0834" servants|strong="H5650" and|strong="H3027" your|strong="H0834" people|strong="H5971". You|strong="H0834" used your|strong="H0834" great|strong="H1419" power|strong="H3027" and|strong="H3027" rescued|strong="H6299" them|strong="H1992".
11 So|strong="H1961", Lord|strong="H0136", please|strong="H4994" listen|strong="H0241" to|strong="H0413" my|strong="H5414" prayer|strong="H8605". And|strong="H4428" listen|strong="H0241" to|strong="H0413" the|strong="H0853" prayers|strong="H8605" of|strong="H4428" all|strong="H3117" your|strong="H5414" other|strong="H2088" servants|strong="H5650" who|strong="H0376" are|strong="H3117" happy to|strong="H0413" honor|strong="H8034" you|strong="H5414". Help me|strong="H0413" today|strong="H3117" as|strong="H1961" I|strong="H0589" ask|strong="H4428" the|strong="H0853" king|strong="H4428" for|strong="H0413" help. Make|strong="H5414" him|strong="H0413" pleased with|strong="H0413" me|strong="H0413" so|strong="H1961" that|strong="H3117" he|strong="H3117" will|strong="H1961" be|strong="H1961" kind and|strong="H4428" give|strong="H5414" me|strong="H0413" what|strong="H2088" I|strong="H0589" ask|strong="H4428" for|strong="H0413".”