Nehemiah 1
1 The words of Nehemiah the son of Chachalyah. And it came to pass in the month Kislev, in the twentieth year, as I was in Shushan, the capital,
[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].
2 That there came Chanani, one of my brethren, himself with certain men of Judah: and I asked them concerning the Jews that had escaped, who were left of the captivity, and concerning Jerusalem.
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.
3 And they said unto me, The remnant that are left of the captivity there in the province are in great misery and in disgrace; and the wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and her gates are burnt with fire.
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.”
4 And it came to pass, when I heard these words, that I sat down and wept, and mourned some days, and I was fasting, and praying before the God of heaven.
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.
5 And I said, I beseech thee, O Lord the God of heaven, the great and terrible God, that keepeth the covenant and kindness for those that love him and for those that keep his commandments:
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.
6 Let thy ear now be attentive, and thy eyes be open, I entreat thee, to hearken unto the prayer of thy servant, which I am praying this day before thee, by day and by night, in behalf of the children of Israel thy servants, and [as] I confess for the sins of the children of Israel, [with] which we have sinned against thee: yea, I also and my father's house have sinned.
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.
7 We have dealt very corruptly toward thee: and we have not kept the commandments, and the statutes, and the ordinances, which thou didst command Moses thy servant.
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.
8 Remember, I beseech thee, the word with which thou didst charge Moses thy servant, saying, If ye become truly unfaithful, I will indeed scatter you among the nations.
“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]).
9 But if ye return unto me, and keep my commandments, and do them: [then] though your outcasts should be at the utmost parts of heaven, from there will I gather them, and I will bring them unto the place which I have chosen to let my name dwell there.
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.’
10 And they are thy servants and thy people, whom thou hast redeemed by thy great power, and by thy strong hand.
“We are your servants. We are the people whom you brought here by your very great power [MTY, DOU]
11 I beseech thee, O Lord, do let thy ear be attentive to the prayer of thy servant, and to the prayer of thy servants, who are desirous to fear thy name; and grant success, I pray thee, to thy servant this day, and let him find mercy in the sight of this man —But I was butler by the king.
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].
