Nehemiah 1
New English Translation
A Prayer of Nehemiah
1 [a] These are the words of Nehemiah[b] son of Hacaliah:
It so happened that in the month of Kislev, in the twentieth year,[c] I was in Susa[d] the citadel. 2 Hanani, who was one of my relatives,[e] along with some of the men from Judah, came to me,[f] and I asked them about the Jews who had escaped and had survived the exile, and about Jerusalem.
3 They said to me, “The remnant that remains from the exile there in the province are experiencing considerable[g] adversity and reproach. The wall of Jerusalem lies breached, and its gates have been burned down!”[h]
4 When I heard these things I sat down abruptly,[i] crying and mourning for several days. I continued fasting and praying before the God of heaven. 5 Then I said, “Please, O Lord God of heaven, great and awesome God, who keeps his loving covenant[j] with those who love him and obey[k] his commandments, 6 may your ear be attentive and your eyes be open to hear the prayer of your servant that I am praying to you today throughout both day and night on behalf of your servants the Israelites. I am confessing the sins of the Israelites that we have committed[l] against you—both I myself and my family[m] have sinned. 7 We have behaved corruptly against you, not obeying the commandments, the statutes, and the judgments that you commanded your servant Moses. 8 Please recall the word you commanded your servant Moses: ‘If you act unfaithfully, I will scatter you among the nations.[n] 9 But if you repent[o] and obey[p] my commandments and do them, then even if your dispersed people are in the most remote location,[q] I will gather them from there and bring them to the place I have chosen for my name to reside.’ 10 They are your servants and your people, whom you have redeemed by your mighty strength and by your powerful hand. 11 Please,[r] Lord, listen attentively[s] to the prayer of your servant and to the prayer of your servants who take pleasure in showing respect to[t] your name. Grant your servant success today and show compassion to me[u] in the presence of this man.”
Now[v] I was cupbearer for the king.
Footnotes
- Nehemiah 1:1 sn In ancient Judaism Ezra and Nehemiah were regarded as a single book with dual authorship. According to the Talmud, “Ezra wrote his book” (b. Bava Batra 15a). The Gemara then asks and answers, “And who finished it? Nehemiah the son of Hacaliah.” Accordingly, the two are joined in the Leningrad Codex (ca. a.d. 1008), the manuscript upon which modern printed editions of the Hebrew Bible (e.g., BHK and BHS) are based.
- Nehemiah 1:1 sn The name Nehemiah in Hebrew (נְחֶמְיָה, nekhemyah) means “the Lord comforts.”
- Nehemiah 1:1 tn That is, the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes’ reign (cf. 2:1).
- Nehemiah 1:1 tn Heb “Shushan.”
- Nehemiah 1:2 tn Heb “brothers.”
- Nehemiah 1:2 tn The Hebrew text does not include the words “to me”; these words were supplied in the translation for the sake of clarity.
- Nehemiah 1:3 tn Heb “great.”
- Nehemiah 1:3 tn Heb “have been burned with fire” (so also in Neh 2:17). The expression “burned with fire” is redundant in contemporary English; the translation uses “burned down” for stylistic reasons.
- Nehemiah 1:4 tn Heb “sat down.” Context suggests that this was a rather sudden action, resulting from the emotional shock of the unpleasant news, so “abruptly” has been supplied in the present translation.
- Nehemiah 1:5 tn Heb “the covenant and loyal love.” The phrase is a hendiadys: the first noun retains its full nominal sense, while the second noun functions adjectivally (“loyal love” = loving). Alternately, the first might function adjectivally and the second noun function as the noun: “covenant and loyal love” = covenant fidelity (see Neh 9:32).
- Nehemiah 1:5 tn Heb “keep.” The Hebrew verb שָׁמַר (shamar, “to observe; to keep”) is often used as an idiom that means “to obey” the commandments of God (e.g., Exod 20:6; Deut 5:16; 23:24; 29:8; Judg 2:22; 1 Kgs 2:43; 11:11; Ps 119:8, 17, 34; Jer 35:18; Ezek 17:14; Amos 2:4). See BDB 1036 s.v. 3.c.
- Nehemiah 1:6 tn Heb “have sinned.” For stylistic reasons—to avoid redundancy in English—this was translated as “committed.”
- Nehemiah 1:6 tn Heb “the house of my father.”
- Nehemiah 1:8 tn Heb “peoples.”
- Nehemiah 1:9 tn Heb “turn to me.”
- Nehemiah 1:9 tn Heb “keep.” See the note on the word “obey” in Neh 1:5.
- Nehemiah 1:9 tn Heb “at the end of the heavens.”
- Nehemiah 1:11 tn The interjection אָנָּא (ʾannaʾ) is an emphatic term of entreaty: “please!” (BDB 58 s.v.; HALOT 69-70 s.v.). This term is normally reserved for pleas for mercy from God in life-and-death situations (2 Kgs 20:3 = Isa 38:3; Pss 116:4; 118:25; Jonah 1:14; 4:2) and for forgiveness of heinous sins that would result or have resulted in severe judgment from God (Exod 32:31; Dan 9:4; Neh 1:5, 11).
- Nehemiah 1:11 tn Heb “let your ear be attentive.”
- Nehemiah 1:11 tn Heb “fear.”
- Nehemiah 1:11 tn Heb “grant compassion.” The words “to me” are supplied in the translation for the sake of smoothness and style in English.
- Nehemiah 1:11 tn The vav (ו) on וַאֲנִי (vaʾani, “Now, I”) introduces a disjunctive parenthetical clause that provides background information to the reader.
Nehemiah 1
Expanded Bible
Nehemiah’s Prayer
1 These are the ·words [memoirs] of Nehemiah son of Hacaliah.
In the month of Kislev [C late autumn] in the twentieth year [C of the reign of King Artaxerxes I; 445 bc], I, Nehemiah, was in the ·capital city [or fortress; C the winter residence of Persian kings, separate from the city] of Susa. 2 One of my ·brothers [relatives] named Hanani came with some other men from Judah. I asked them about Jerusalem and the Jewish people who ·lived through [had escaped and survived] the ·captivity [exile].
3 They answered me, “·Those who are left [The survivors/remnant there in the province; C of Judah] from the ·captivity [exile] are in much ·trouble [distress; misery] and ·are full of shame [disgrace; humiliation]. The wall around Jerusalem is ·broken down [ruined; breached], and its gates have been burned [C either at the time of the Babylonian destruction of Jerusalem (2 Kin. 25:10) or later].”
4 When I heard these things, I sat down and ·cried [wept] for several days. I ·was sad [mourned] and fasted. I prayed to the God of heaven, 5 “Lord, God of heaven, you are the great ·God who is to be respected [and awesome God]. You ·are loyal, and you keep your agreement [keep your loving covenant/treaty; keep your covenant/treaty of unfailing love] with those who love you and ·obey [keep] your commands. 6 ·Look and listen carefully [Let your ears be attentive and eyes open]. Hear the prayer that I, your servant, am praying to you day and night ·for [on behalf of] your servants, the Israelites. I confess the sins ·we Israelites [the people/sons of Israel] have ·done [L sinned] against you. My father’s ·family [L house] and I have sinned against you. 7 We have ·been wicked toward [acted corruptly against] you and have not obeyed the commands, ·rules [statutes; ordinances; requirements], and ·laws [judgments] you ·gave [commanded] your servant Moses [Ex. 19—24].
8 “Remember ·what you taught [the word you commanded] your servant Moses, saying, ‘If you are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the ·nations [L peoples]. 9 But if you return to me and obey my commands [L and do/live by them], I will gather your people from the far ends of the ·earth [L heavens; sky; C a reference to the Babylonian exile]. And I will bring them from there to ·where [the place] I have chosen ·to be worshiped [L for my name to dwell; Deut. 4:25–31; 30:1–10].’
10 “They are your servants and your people, whom you have ·saved [redeemed; rescued] with your great strength and ·power [L strong hand]. 11 Lord, ·listen carefully [L may your ear be attentive] to the prayer of your servant and the prayers of your servants who ·love to honor you [take pleasure in revering/L fearing your name]. ·Give [Grant] me, your servant, success today; allow this king to show ·kindness [compassion] to me.”
I was the ·one who served wine to the king [king’s cupbearer].
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