Nehemiah Prays for His People

The words of (A)Nehemiah the son of Hachaliah.

It came to pass in the month of Chislev, in the (B)twentieth year, as I was in (C)Shushan[a] the [b]citadel, that (D)Hanani one of my brethren came with men from Judah; and I asked them concerning the Jews who had escaped, who had survived the captivity, and concerning Jerusalem. And they said to me, “The survivors who are left from the captivity in the (E)province are there in great distress and (F)reproach. (G)The wall of Jerusalem (H)is also broken down, and its gates are burned with fire.”

So it was, when I heard these words, that I sat down and wept, and mourned for many days; I was fasting and praying before the God of heaven.

And I said: “I pray, (I)Lord God of heaven, O great and (J)awesome God, (K)You who keep Your covenant and mercy with those who love [c]You and observe [d]Your commandments, please let Your ear be attentive and (L)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 (M)confess the sins of the children of Israel which we have sinned against You. Both my father’s house and I have sinned. (N)We have acted very corruptly against You, and have (O)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, (P)If you [e]are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the nations; (Q)but if you return to Me, and keep My commandments and do them, (R)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 (S)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 (T)let Your ear be attentive to the prayer of Your servant, and to the prayer of Your servants who (U)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 (V)cupbearer.

Footnotes

  1. Nehemiah 1:1 Or Susa
  2. Nehemiah 1:1 Or fortified palace, and so elsewhere in the book
  3. Nehemiah 1:5 Lit. Him
  4. Nehemiah 1:5 Lit. His
  5. Nehemiah 1:8 act treacherously

Nehemías ora por su pueblo

Estas son las palabras de Nehemías, hijo de Jacalías:

En el mes de quisleu del año veinte, estando yo en la ciudad de Susa, llegó Jananí, uno de mis hermanos, junto con algunos hombres de Judá. Entonces pregunté por el resto de los judíos que se habían librado del destierro y por Jerusalén.

Ellos me respondieron: «Los que se libraron del destierro y se quedaron en la provincia están enfrentando una gran calamidad y humillación. La muralla de Jerusalén sigue derribada, con sus puertas consumidas por el fuego».

Al escuchar esto, me senté a llorar; hice duelo por algunos días, ayuné y oré al Dios del cielo. Le dije:

«Señor, Dios del cielo, grande y temible, que cumples el pacto y eres fiel con los que te aman y obedecen tus mandamientos, te suplico que me prestes atención, que fijes tus ojos en este siervo tuyo que día y noche ora en favor de tu pueblo Israel. Confieso que los israelitas, entre los cuales estamos incluidos mi familia y yo, hemos pecado contra ti. Te hemos ofendido y nos hemos corrompido mucho; hemos desobedecido los mandamientos, estatutos y leyes que tú mismo diste a tu siervo Moisés.

»Recuerda, te suplico, lo que dijiste a tu siervo Moisés: “Si ustedes son infieles, yo los dispersaré entre las naciones; pero si se vuelven a mí, obedecen y ponen en práctica mis mandamientos, aunque hayan sido llevados al lugar más apartado del mundo, los recogeré y los haré volver al lugar que escoja como residencia de mi Nombre”.

10 »Ellos son tus siervos y tu pueblo al cual redimiste con gran despliegue de fuerza y poder. 11 Señor, te suplico que escuches nuestra oración, pues somos tus siervos y nos complacemos en honrar tu nombre. Y te pido que a este siervo tuyo le concedas tener éxito y ganarse el favor de este hombre».

En aquel tiempo yo era copero del rey.