Nehemiah 1
New King James Version
Nehemiah Prays for His People
1 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, 2 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. 3 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.”
4 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.
5 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, 6 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. 7 (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. 8 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; 9 (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
- Nehemiah 1:1 Or Susa
- Nehemiah 1:1 Or fortified palace, and so elsewhere in the book
- Nehemiah 1:5 Lit. Him
- Nehemiah 1:5 Lit. His
- Nehemiah 1:8 act treacherously
Nehemiah 1
English Standard Version
Report from Jerusalem
1 The words of (A)Nehemiah the son of Hacaliah.
Now it happened in the month of (B)Chislev, (C)in the twentieth year, as I was in (D)Susa the citadel, 2 that (E)Hanani, one of my brothers, came with certain men from Judah. And I asked them concerning the Jews who escaped, who had survived the exile, and concerning Jerusalem. 3 And they said to me, “The remnant there in the province who had survived the exile is in great trouble and (F)shame. (G)The wall of Jerusalem is broken down, (H)and its gates are destroyed by fire.”
Nehemiah's Prayer
4 As soon as I heard these words I (I)sat down and wept and mourned for days, and I continued fasting and praying before the (J)God of heaven. 5 And I said, “O Lord God of heaven, (K)the great and awesome God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, 6 (L)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 the people of Israel your servants, (M)confessing the sins of the people of Israel, which we have sinned against you. Even (N)I and my father's house have sinned. 7 (O)We have acted very corruptly against you and have not kept the commandments, the statutes, and the rules (P)that you commanded your servant Moses. 8 Remember the word that you commanded your servant Moses, saying, ‘If you are unfaithful, (Q)I will scatter you among the peoples, 9 (R)but if you return to me and keep my commandments and do them, (S)though your outcasts are in the uttermost parts of heaven, from there I will gather them and bring them (T)to the place that I have chosen, to make my name dwell there.’ 10 (U)They are your servants and your people, whom you have redeemed by your great power and by your strong hand. 11 O Lord, (V)let your ear be attentive to the prayer of your servant, and to the prayer of your servants who delight to fear your name, and give success to your servant today, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man.”
Now I was (W)cupbearer to the king.
Nehemia 1
Het Boek
Nehemia bidt voor het volk Israël
1 Memoires van Nehemia, de zoon van Hachalja.
In de negende maand van het twintigste regeringsjaar van koning Arthahsasta van Perzië 2 bezocht Hanani, een van mijn broers, mij terwijl ik in het paleis in Susan was. Hij was met nog enkele mannen uit Juda gekomen. Ik informeerde naar de omstandigheden in Jeruzalem en hoe het ging met de Judeeërs die uit ballingschap waren terugkeerd naar Jeruzalem. 3 ‘Zij verkeren in grote moeilijkheden,’ antwoordden mijn bezoekers. ‘De stadsmuur van Jeruzalem ligt nog steeds in puin en de poorten zijn in vlammen opgegaan.’
4 Toen ik dat hoorde, ging ik zitten en barstte in tranen uit. Dagenlang was ik diepbedroefd. Ik weigerde te eten en bad voortdurend tot de God van de hemel. 5 ‘Ach Here, God van de hemel,’ bad ik. ‘O grote en ontzagwekkende God. U, die uw beloften houdt en uw goedheid toont aan wie U liefhebben en uw geboden gehoorzamen. 6 Luister toch naar mijn gebed! Zie toch dat ik dag en nacht tot U bid voor uw volk Israël. 7 Ik belijd dat wij tegen U hebben gezondigd. Ook mijn familie en ik hebben gezondigd, want wij hebben de geboden die U ons door uw knecht Mozes hebt gegeven, niet gehoorzaamd. 8,9 Denk toch aan wat U tegen Mozes hebt gezegd: “Als u zondigt, zal Ik u over verschillende landen verspreiden. Maar als u naar Mij terugkeert en zich nauwkeurig houdt aan mijn geboden, dan zal Ik u terugbrengen naar Jeruzalem, waar u ook bent. Want Jeruzalem is de plaats waaraan Ik mijn naam heb verbonden en die Ik voor u heb uitgekozen om er te wonen.” 10 Wij zijn toch uw dienaren, het volk dat U door uw grote kracht hebt verlost! 11 Ach Here, luister toch naar mijn gebed! En hoor naar de gebeden van de anderen die U van harte eren! Help mij als ik straks naar de koning ga. Ik wil hem om een gunst vragen, laat hij mij welgezind zijn.’ Ik was namelijk degene die altijd de wijn voor de koning inschonk.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.
Het Boek Copyright © 1979, 1988, 2007 by Biblica, Inc.®
Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.