Nehemiah’s Prayer

When I heard this, I sat down and cried. I mourned for days. I continued to fast and pray to the Elohim of heaven.

I said, “Yahweh Elohim of heaven, great and awe-inspiring El, you faithfully keep your promise and show mercy to those who love you and obey your commandments.

“What do you want?” the king asked me. So I prayed to the Elohim of heaven,

Also, let me have a letter addressed to Asaph, the supervisor of Your Majesty’s forest. In the letter order him to give me wood for the gates of the fortress near the temple, for the city wall, and for the house I’ll move into.” (The king let me have the letters, because Elohim was guiding me.)

During the night I went out with a few men without telling anyone what my Elohim had inspired me to do for Jerusalem. The only animal I had was the one I was riding.

Then I told them that my Elohim had been guiding me and what the king had told me. They replied, “Let’s begin to rebuild.” So they encouraged one another to begin this God-pleasing work.

“The Elohim of heaven will give us success,” I answered them. “We, his servants, are going to rebuild. You have no property or claim or historic right in Jerusalem.”

Nehemiah Overcomes Opposition from Sanballat

Nehemiah prayed, “Our Elohim, hear us. We are despised. Turn their insults back on them, and let them be robbed in the land where they are prisoners.

But we prayed to our Elohim and set guards to protect us day and night.

When our enemies heard that we knew about their plots and that Elohim had prevented their plans from being successful, we all went back to the work on the wall. Each person performed his own job.

When you hear the trumpet, assemble around me. Our Elohim will fight for us!”

I added, “What you’re doing is wrong. Shouldn’t you live in the fear of our Elohim to keep our enemies from ridiculing us?

I brushed off my clothes and said, “In the same way, may Elohim brush off from home and work everyone who refuses to keep this promise. In the same way, may everyone be brushed off and left with nothing.” Then the whole congregation said amen and praised Yahweh. The people did what they had promised.

Those who were governors before me had made life difficult for the people by taking from them food and wine plus one pound of silver. Even the governors’ servants took advantage of their power over the people. But I didn’t do that, because I feared Elohim.

Nehemiah’s Prayer

Remember me, my Elohim. Consider everything that I have done for these people.

One day I went to the home of Shemaiah, son of Delaiah and grandson of Mehetabel. Shemaiah who was confined to his house, said, “Let’s meet in the house of Elohim, inside the temple, and close the temple doors. Some men are coming at night to kill you.”

Then I realized that Elohim hadn’t sent him. Instead, Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him to prophesy against me.

Nehemiah prayed, “My Elohim, remember what Tobiah and Sanballat have done. Also, remember the female prophet Noadiah and the rest of the prophets who have been trying to intimidate me.”

When all our enemies heard about this, all the surrounding nations were afraid and lost their self-confidence. They realized we had done this work with the help of our Elohim.

I put my brother Hanani and Hananiah, the commander of the fortress, in charge of Jerusalem. Hananiah was a trustworthy man, and he feared Elohim more than most people do.

The First Jewish Exiles Who Returned to Jerusalem

Then my Elohim put the idea into my head that I should gather the nobles, leaders, and people so that they could check their genealogy. I found the book with the genealogy of those who came back the first time. I found the following written in it:

Ezra thanked Yahweh, the great Elohim. All the people responded, “Amen! Amen!” as they raised their hands and then bowed with their faces to the ground and worshiped Yahweh.

They read the Book of Elohim’s Teachings clearly and explained the meaning so that the people could understand what was read.

Then Nehemiah the governor, Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who taught the people told them, “This is a holy day for Yahweh your Elohim. Don’t mourn or cry.” All the people were crying as they listened to the reading of God’s Teachings.

So the people went to get branches to make booths for themselves. Some made booths on their roofs, others in their courtyards, in the courtyards of Elohim’s temple, in the open area by Water Gate, or in the open area at Ephraim Gate.