And I said: “I pray, (A)Lord God of heaven, O great and (B)awesome God, (C)You who keep Your covenant and mercy with those who love [a]You and observe [b]Your commandments, please let Your ear be attentive and (D)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 (E)confess the sins of the children of Israel which we have sinned against You. Both my father’s house and I have sinned. (F)We have acted very corruptly against You, and have (G)not kept the commandments, the statutes, nor the ordinances which You commanded Your servant Moses. Remember, I pray, the word that You commanded Your servant Moses, saying, (H)If you [c]are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the nations; (I)but if you return to Me, and keep My commandments and do them, (J)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.’ 10 (K)Now these are Your servants and Your people, whom You have redeemed by Your great power, and by Your strong hand. 11 O Lord, I pray, please (L)let Your ear be attentive to the prayer of Your servant, and to the prayer of Your servants who (M)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 (N)cupbearer.

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Footnotes

  1. Nehemiah 1:5 Lit. Him
  2. Nehemiah 1:5 Lit. His
  3. Nehemiah 1:8 act treacherously

Then I said:

Lord, the God of heaven, the great and awesome God,(A) who keeps his covenant of love(B) with those who love him and keep his commandments, let your ear be attentive and your eyes open to hear(C) the prayer(D) your servant is praying before you day and night for your servants, the people of Israel. I confess(E) the sins we Israelites, including myself and my father’s family, have committed against you. We have acted very wickedly(F) toward you. We have not obeyed the commands, decrees and laws you gave your servant Moses.

“Remember(G) the instruction you gave your servant Moses, saying, ‘If you are unfaithful, I will scatter(H) you among the nations, but if you return to me and obey my commands, then even if your exiled people are at the farthest horizon, I will gather(I) them from there and bring them to the place I have chosen as a dwelling for my Name.’(J)

10 “They are your servants and your people, whom you redeemed by your great strength and your mighty hand.(K) 11 Lord, let your ear be attentive(L) to the prayer of this your servant and to the prayer of your servants who delight in revering your name. Give your servant success today by granting him favor(M) in the presence of this man.”

I was cupbearer(N) to the king.

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I said:

Lord God of heaven, great and awesome God, you are the one who keeps covenant and is truly faithful to those who love you and keep your commandments. Let your ear be attentive and your eyes open to hear the prayer of your servant, which I now pray before you night and day for your servants, the people of Israel.

“I confess the sins of the people of Israel, which we have committed against you. Both I and my family have sinned. We have wronged you greatly. We haven’t kept the commandments, the statutes, and the ordinances that you commanded your servant Moses.

“Remember the word that you gave to your servant Moses when you said, ‘If you are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the peoples. But if you return to me and keep my commandments by really doing them, then, even though your outcasts live[a] under distant skies, I will gather them from there and bring them to the place that I have chosen as a dwelling for my name.’ 10 They are your servants and your people. They are the ones whom you have redeemed by your great power and your strong hand.

11 Lord, let your ear be attentive to the prayer of your servant and to the prayer of your servants who delight in honoring your name. Please give success to your servant today and grant him favor in the presence of this man!”

Cupbearer’s plea

At that time, I was a cupbearer to the king.

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Footnotes

  1. Nehemiah 1:9 Heb lacks live.

I said, “O Lord God of heaven, the great and awesome God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments,(A) let your ear be attentive and your eyes open to hear the prayer of your servant that I now pray before you day and night for your servants, the Israelites, confessing the sins of the Israelites, which we have sinned against you. Both I and my family have sinned.(B) We have offended you deeply, failing to keep the commandments, the statutes, and the ordinances that you commanded Moses your servant.(C) Remember the word that you commanded Moses your servant, ‘If you are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the peoples,(D) but if you return to me and keep my commandments and do them, though your outcasts are under the farthest skies, I will gather them from there and bring them to the place where I have chosen to establish my name.’(E) 10 They are your servants and your people whom you redeemed by your great power and your strong hand.(F) 11 O Lord, let your ear be attentive to the prayer of your servant and to the prayer of your servants who delight in revering your name. Give success to your servant today, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man!”

At the time, I was cupbearer to the king.(G)

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