Nehemiah’s Prayer
(Deuteronomy 30:1–10)

1The words of Nehemiah son of Hachaliah:

And it came to pass, in the month of Chislev,† in the twentieth year, that I was in Susa the citadel. 2And came in Hanani, one of my brothers—he and men from Judah—and I asked them concerning the Jews who had escaped, who had survived the captivity of my brothers, and concerning Jerusalem.

3And they said to me, “The remnant who are left from the captivity there in the province are in great distress, and in reproach, and the wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates have been burned with the fire.”

4And it came to pass, when I heard these words, that I sat down and wept and mourned for days, and I was fasting and praying before the face of the God of the heavens,

5and I said,

“Please, O YHWH, God of the heavens, the great and awesome God, keeping the covenant and loving devotion† for those loving Him and observing His commandments, 6please let Your ear be attentive, and Your eyes be open, that You may listen to the prayer of Your servant, which I pray before You now, day and night, for the sons of Israel Your servants.

And confessing on account of the sins of the sons of Israel, which we have sinned against You, both I and the house of my father have sinned. 7We have acted very corruptly against You, and we have not kept the commandments, and the statutes, and the ordinances that You commanded Moses Your servant.

8Remember, please, the word that You commanded Moses Your servant, saying, ‘You⁺ are unfaithful—I will scatter you⁺ among the nations; 9and if you⁺ return to Me and keep My commandments and do them, though your⁺ outcast were in the end of the heavens,† from there I will gather them and bring them to the place that I have chosen as a dwelling for My name† there.’

10And they are Your servants and Your people, whom You have redeemed by Your great power and by Your mighty hand. 11Please, O Lord, 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 prosper, please, Your servant this day, and grant him mercy in the eyes of this man.”

(For I was cupbearer to the king.)

Footnotes:

1 Chislev is the ninth month of the Hebrew lunar calendar, usually occurring within the months of November and December.
5 Forms of the Hebrew chesed are translated here and in most cases throughout the Scriptures as loving devotion; the range of meaning includes love, goodness, kindness, faithfulness, and mercy, as well as loyalty to a covenant.
9 Or in the extremity of the heavens
9 Deuteronomy 30:1–4