The words of Nehemiah(A) son of Hacaliah:

News from Jerusalem

During the month of Chislev[a](B) in the twentieth year,[b](C) when I was in the fortress city of Susa,(D) Hanani,(E) one of my brothers, arrived with men from Judah, and I questioned them about Jerusalem and the Jewish remnant(F) that had survived the exile.(G) They said to me, “The remnant in the province,(H) who survived the exile, are in great trouble and disgrace. Jerusalem’s wall has been broken down, and its gates have been burned down.”(I)

Nehemiah’s Prayer

When I heard these words, I sat down and wept. I mourned for a number of days, fasting and praying(J) before the God of heaven.(K) I said,(L)

Yahweh, the God of heaven, the great and awe-inspiring God who keeps His gracious covenant with those who love Him(M) and keep His commands,(N) let Your eyes be open and Your ears be attentive(O) to hear Your servant’s prayer that I now pray to You day and night(P) for Your servants, the Israelites. I confess the sins[c] we have committed against You. Both I and my father’s house have sinned.(Q) We have acted corruptly toward You and have not kept the commands, statutes, and ordinances You gave Your servant Moses.(R) Please remember what You commanded Your servant Moses: “If you are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the peoples.(S) But if you return to Me and carefully observe My commands, even though your exiles were banished to the ends of the earth,[d] I will gather them from there and bring them to the place where I chose to have My name dwell.”(T) 10 They are Your servants and Your people. You redeemed them by Your great power and strong hand.(U) 11 Please, Lord, let Your ear be attentive(V) to the prayer of Your servant and to that of Your servants who delight to revere Your name. Give Your servant success today,(W) and have compassion on him in the presence of this man.[e](X)

At the time, I was the king’s cupbearer.(Y)

Footnotes

  1. Nehemiah 1:1 = November–December
  2. Nehemiah 1:1 Artaxerxes reigned 465-425 b.c.
  3. Nehemiah 1:6 Lit sins of the Israelites
  4. Nehemiah 1:9 Lit skies
  5. Nehemiah 1:11 = the king

尼希米为故土禁食祈祷

哈迦利亚的儿子尼希米的言语如下:

亚达薛西王二十年基斯流月,我在书珊城的宫中。 那时,有我一个弟兄哈拿尼同着几个人从犹大来。我问他们那些被掳归回剩下逃脱的犹大人和耶路撒冷的光景。 他们对我说:“那些被掳归回剩下的人在犹大省遭大难,受凌辱,并且耶路撒冷的城墙拆毁,城门被火焚烧。”

我听见这话,就坐下哭泣,悲哀几日,在天上的神面前禁食祈祷,说: “耶和华天上的神,大而可畏的神啊,你向爱你守你诫命的人守约施慈爱, 愿你睁眼看、侧耳听,你仆人昼夜在你面前为你众仆人以色列民的祈祷,承认我们以色列人向你所犯的罪。我与我父家都有罪了! 我们向你所行的甚是邪恶,没有遵守你借着仆人摩西所吩咐的诫命、律例、典章。 求你记念所吩咐你仆人摩西的话说:‘你们若犯罪,我就把你们分散在万民中。 但你们若归向我,谨守遵行我的诫命,你们被赶散的人虽在天涯,我也必从那里将他们招聚回来,带到我所选择立为我名的居所。’ 10 这都是你的仆人、你的百姓,就是你用大力和大能的手所救赎的。 11 主啊,求你侧耳听你仆人的祈祷和喜爱敬畏你名众仆人的祈祷,使你仆人现今亨通,在王面前蒙恩。”

我是做王酒政的。