The Promise of Restoration
(Nehemiah 1:1–11)

1  וְהָיָה֩ (And it shall come to pass), כִֽי־ (when) יָבֹ֨אוּ (come) עָלֶ֜יךָ (upon you) כָּל־ (all) הַדְּבָרִ֣ים (the things) הָאֵ֗לֶּה (these)— הַבְּרָכָה֙ (the blessing) וְהַקְּלָלָ֔ה (and the curse) אֲשֶׁ֥ר (that) נָתַ֖תִּי (I have set) לְפָנֶ֑יךָ (before you)— וַהֲשֵׁבֹתָ֙ (and you call them) אֶל־ (to) לְבָבֶ֔ךָ (mind) בְּכָל־ (in all) הַגּוֹיִ֔ם (the nations) אֲשֶׁ֧ר (to which) הִדִּיחֲךָ֛ (has driven you away) יְהוָ֥ה (YHWH) אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ (your God) שָֽׁמָּה׃ (there), 2  וְשַׁבְתָּ֞ (and you return) עַד־ (to) יְהוָ֤ה (YHWH) אֱלֹהֶ֙יךָ֙ (your God) וְשָׁמַעְתָּ֣ (and listen) בְקֹל֔וֹ (to His voice) כְּכֹ֛ל (according to all) אֲשֶׁר־ (that) אָנֹכִ֥י (I) מְצַוְּךָ֖ (command you) הַיּ֑וֹם (today), אַתָּ֣ה (you) וּבָנֶ֔יךָ (and your sons) בְּכָל־ (with all) לְבָבְךָ֖ (your heart) וּבְכָל־ (and with all) נַפְשֶֽׁךָ׃ (your soul), 3  וְשָׁ֨ב (then will turn back) יְהוָ֧ה (YHWH) אֱלֹהֶ֛יךָ (your God) אֶת־ (-) שְׁבוּתְךָ֖ (your captivity), וְרִחֲמֶ֑ךָ (and have compassion on you) וְשָׁ֗ב (and turn back) וְקִבֶּצְךָ֙ (and gather you) מִכָּל־ (from all) הָ֣עַמִּ֔ים (the nations) אֲשֶׁ֧ר (to which) הֱפִֽיצְךָ֛ (has scattered you) יְהוָ֥ה (YHWH) אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ (your God) שָֽׁמָּה׃ (there). 4  אִם־ (If) יִהְיֶ֥ה (it comes to pass that) נִֽדַּחֲךָ֖ (you are cast out) בִּקְצֵ֣ה (into the extremity) הַשָּׁמָ֑יִם (of the heavens), מִשָּׁ֗ם (from there) יְקַבֶּצְךָ֙ (will gather you) יְהוָ֣ה (YHWH) אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ (your God), וּמִשָּׁ֖ם (and from there) יִקָּחֶֽךָ׃ (He will bring you).

5  וֶהֱבִֽיאֲךָ֞ (And will bring you) יְהוָ֣ה (YHWH) אֱלֹהֶ֗יךָ (your God) אֶל־ (into) הָאָ֛רֶץ (the land) אֲשֶׁר־ (that) יָרְשׁ֥וּ (possessed) אֲבֹתֶ֖יךָ (your fathers), וִֽירִשְׁתָּ֑הּ (and you shall possess it), וְהֵיטִֽבְךָ֥ (and He will prosper you) וְהִרְבְּךָ֖ (and multiply you) מֵאֲבֹתֶֽיךָ׃ (more than your fathers). 6  וּמָ֨ל (And will circumcise) יְהוָ֧ה (YHWH) אֱלֹהֶ֛יךָ (your God) אֶת־ (-) לְבָבְךָ֖ (your heart), וְאֶת־ (and) לְבַ֣ב (the heart) זַרְעֶ֑ךָ (of your seed), לְאַהֲבָ֞ה (to love) אֶת־ (-) יְהוָ֧ה (YHWH) אֱלֹהֶ֛יךָ (your God) בְּכָל־ (with all) לְבָבְךָ֥ (your heart) וּבְכָל־ (and with all) נַפְשְׁךָ֖ (your soul), לְמַ֥עַן (so that) חַיֶּֽיךָ׃ (you may live).

7  וְנָתַן֙ (And will put) יְהוָ֣ה (YHWH) אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ (your God) אֵ֥ת (-) כָּל־ (all) הָאָל֖וֹת (the oaths) הָאֵ֑לֶּה (these) עַל־ (on) אֹיְבֶ֥יךָ (your enemies) וְעַל־ (and on) שֹׂנְאֶ֖יךָ (those who hate you), אֲשֶׁ֥ר (who) רְדָפֽוּךָ׃ (pursued you). 8  וְאַתָּ֣ה (And you) תָשׁ֔וּב (will turn back) וְשָׁמַעְתָּ֖ (and listen) בְּק֣וֹל (to the voice) יְהוָ֑ה (of YHWH) וְעָשִׂ֙יתָ֙ (and do) אֶת־ (-) כָּל־ (all) מִצְוֺתָ֔יו (His commandments) אֲשֶׁ֛ר (that) אָנֹכִ֥י (I) מְצַוְּךָ֖ (command you) הַיּֽוֹם׃ (today). 9  וְהוֹתִֽירְךָ֩ (And will make you abound) יְהוָ֨ה (YHWH) אֱלֹהֶ֜יךָ (your God) בְּכֹ֣ל׀ (in all) מַעֲשֵׂ֣ה (the work) יָדֶ֗ךָ (of your hand), בִּפְרִ֨י (in the fruit) בִטְנְךָ֜ (of your womb), וּבִפְרִ֧י (and in the fruit) בְהֶמְתְּךָ֛ (of your livestock), וּבִפְרִ֥י (and in the fruit) אַדְמָתְךָ֖ (of your land), לְטוֹבָ֑ה (for good). כִּ֣י׀ (For) יָשׁ֣וּב (will again) יְהוָ֗ה (YHWH) לָשׂ֤וּשׂ (rejoice) עָלֶ֙יךָ֙ (over you) לְט֔וֹב (for good), כַּאֲשֶׁר־ (as) שָׂ֖שׂ (He rejoiced) עַל־ (over) אֲבֹתֶֽיךָ׃ (your fathers), 10  כִּ֣י (if) תִשְׁמַ֗ע (you listen) בְּקוֹל֙ (to the voice) יְהוָ֣ה (of YHWH) אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ (your God), לִשְׁמֹ֤ר (to keep) מִצְוֺתָיו֙ (His commandments) וְחֻקֹּתָ֔יו (and His statutes) הַכְּתוּבָ֕ה (written) בְּסֵ֥פֶר (in the Book) הַתּוֹרָ֖ה (of the Law) הַזֶּ֑ה (this), כִּ֤י (and if) תָשׁוּב֙ (you turn) אֶל־ (to) יְהוָ֣ה (YHWH) אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ (your God) בְּכָל־ (with all) לְבָבְךָ֖ (your heart) וּבְכָל־ (and with all) נַפְשֶֽׁךָ׃פ (your soul).

The Choice of Life or Death

11  כִּ֚י (For) הַמִּצְוָ֣ה (the commandment) הַזֹּ֔את (this) אֲשֶׁ֛ר (that) אָנֹכִ֥י (I) מְצַוְּךָ֖ (command you) הַיּ֑וֹם (today), לֹֽא־ (not) נִפְלֵ֥את (too wonderful) הִוא֙ (is) מִמְּךָ֔ (for you), וְלֹ֥א (and not) רְחֹקָ֖ה (far off) הִֽוא׃ (is it). 12  לֹ֥א (Not) בַשָּׁמַ֖יִם (in the heavens) הִ֑וא (it is), לֵאמֹ֗ר (that you should say), מִ֣י (Who) יַעֲלֶה־ (will ascend) לָּ֤נוּ (for us) הַשָּׁמַ֙יְמָה֙ (into the heavens) וְיִקָּחֶ֣הָ (and bring it) לָּ֔נוּ (to us), וְיַשְׁמִעֵ֥נוּ (that we may hear) אֹתָ֖הּ (it) וְנַעֲשֶֽׂנָּה׃ (and do it). 13  וְלֹֽא־ (And not) מֵעֵ֥בֶר (beyond) לַיָּ֖ם (the sea) הִ֑וא (is it), לֵאמֹ֗ר (that you should say), מִ֣י (Who) יַעֲבָר־ (will go) לָ֜נוּ (for us) אֶל־ (to) עֵ֤בֶר (beyond) הַיָּם֙ (the sea) וְיִקָּחֶ֣הָ (and bring it) לָּ֔נוּ (to us), וְיַשְׁמִעֵ֥נוּ (that we may hear) אֹתָ֖הּ (it) וְנַעֲשֶֽׂנָּה׃ (and do it). 14  כִּֽי־ (But) קָר֥וֹב (near) אֵלֶ֛יךָ (to you) הַדָּבָ֖ר (the word is) מְאֹ֑ד (very), בְּפִ֥יךָ (in your mouth) וּבִֽלְבָבְךָ֖ (and in your heart), לַעֲשֹׂתֽוֹ׃ס (that you may do it).

15  רְאֵ֨ה (See), נָתַ֤תִּי (I have set) לְפָנֶ֙יךָ֙ (before you) הַיּ֔וֹם (this day) אֶת־ (-) הַֽחַיִּ֖ים (life) וְאֶת־ (and) הַטּ֑וֹב (good), וְאֶת־ (and) הַמָּ֖וֶת (death) וְאֶת־ (and) הָרָֽע׃ (evil), 16  אֲשֶׁ֨ר (in that) אָנֹכִ֣י (I) מְצַוְּךָ֮ (am commanding you) הַיּוֹם֒ (today) לְאַהֲבָ֞ה (to love) אֶת־ (-) יְהוָ֤ה (YHWH) אֱלֹהֶ֙יךָ֙ (your God), לָלֶ֣כֶת (to walk) בִּדְרָכָ֔יו (in His ways), וְלִשְׁמֹ֛ר (and to keep) מִצְוֺתָ֥יו (His commandments) וְחֻקֹּתָ֖יו (and His statutes) וּמִשְׁפָּטָ֑יו (and His ordinances), וְחָיִ֣יתָ (that you may live) וְרָבִ֔יתָ (and multiply), וּבֵֽרַכְךָ֙ (and will bless you) יְהוָ֣ה (YHWH) אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ (your God) בָּאָ֕רֶץ (in the land) אֲשֶׁר־ (that) אַתָּ֥ה (you) בָא־ (are going) שָׁ֖מָּה (there) לְרִשְׁתָּֽהּ׃ (to possess).

17  וְאִם־ (But if) יִפְנֶ֥ה (turns away), לְבָבְךָ֖ (your heart) וְלֹ֣א (so that not) תִשְׁמָ֑ע (you do listen), וְנִדַּחְתָּ֗ (and are drawn away), וְהִֽשְׁתַּחֲוִ֛יתָ (and worship) לֵאלֹהִ֥ים (gods) אֲחֵרִ֖ים (other) וַעֲבַדְתָּֽם׃ (and serve them), 18  הִגַּ֤דְתִּי (I declare) לָכֶם֙ (to you⁺) הַיּ֔וֹם (today) כִּ֥י (that) אָבֹ֖ד (perishing) תֹּאבֵד֑וּן (you⁺ will perish); לֹא־ (not) תַאֲרִיכֻ֤ן (you⁺ will prolong) יָמִים֙ (your days) עַל־ (in) הָ֣אֲדָמָ֔ה (the land) אֲשֶׁ֨ר (that) אַתָּ֤ה (you) עֹבֵר֙ (are passing over) אֶת־ (-) הַיַּרְדֵּ֔ן (the Jordan) לָבֹ֥א (to go in) שָׁ֖מָּה (there) לְרִשְׁתָּֽהּ׃ (to possess it).

19  הַעִידֹ֨תִי (I call as witnesses) בָכֶ֣ם (against you⁺) הַיּוֹם֮ (today) אֶת־ (-) הַשָּׁמַ֣יִם (the heavens) וְאֶת־ (and) הָאָרֶץ֒ (the earth), הַחַיִּ֤ים (life) וְהַמָּ֙וֶת֙ (and death), נָתַ֣תִּי (that I have set) לְפָנֶ֔יךָ (before you) הַבְּרָכָ֖ה (blessing) וְהַקְּלָלָ֑ה (and cursing). וּבָֽחַרְתָּ֙ (Therefore choose) בַּֽחַיִּ֔ים (life), לְמַ֥עַן (that) תִּחְיֶ֖ה (you may live)— אַתָּ֥ה (you) וְזַרְעֶֽךָ׃ (and your seed), 20  לְאַֽהֲבָה֙ (and that you may love) אֶת־ (-) יְהוָ֣ה (YHWH) אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ (your God), לִשְׁמֹ֥עַ (to listen) בְּקֹל֖וֹ (to His voice), וּלְדָבְקָה־ (and to cleave) ב֑וֹ (to Him). כִּ֣י (For) ה֤וּא (He is) חַיֶּ֙יךָ֙ (your life), וְאֹ֣רֶךְ (and the length) יָמֶ֔יךָ (of your days), לָשֶׁ֣בֶת (that you may dwell) עַל־ (in) הָאֲדָמָ֗ה (the land) אֲשֶׁר֩ (that) נִשְׁבַּ֨ע (swore) יְהוָ֧ה (YHWH) לַאֲבֹתֶ֛יךָ (to your fathers), לְאַבְרָהָ֛ם (to Abraham), לְיִצְחָ֥ק (to Isaac), וּֽלְיַעֲקֹ֖ב (and to Jacob), לָתֵ֥ת (to give) לָהֶֽם׃פ (to them).