Nehemiah 1

₁This is what Nehemiah, son of Hacaliah, said and what he did: It was in the month of Kislev in the 20th year that Artaxerxes was king of Persia. I was in the town of Susa, a town with strong walls. ₂One of my brothers, Hanani, and other men from the land_of_Judah came to me. I asked them how the people of Judah were, the people who had been prisoners in Babylon and who had gone back to Jerusalem. I also asked them about the city of Jerusalem. ₃They said to me: ‘Not good. The people who were prisoners in Babylon, who are still_alive and who went back to Jerusalem, have lots of problems. Enemies have broken down the wall of Jerusalem and have burnt the gates.’

₄When I heard this, I sat down and started to cry. I cried for a few days and I mourned. I did not eat anything and I prayed to the God of heaven. ₅I said: ‘O Lord, God of heaven, You are the Great God. Everyone must fear You. You do what You say in your covenant, You do what You promised to all who love You and You do what You want. ₆Please listen to what I am praying. Please listen to me, your servant. I pray every day and every night for your servants, the Israelites. I confess that the Israelites have sinned_against You. My family and I have also sinned. ₇We have done many bad things against You. We have not done what You want. We have not done what You told your servant Moses.

₈You remember what You said to your servant Moses: “If you are unfaithful, I will chase you away to go and live among other nations, ₉but if you come back to Me and if you do what I want and what I have told you, then I will help you. I will bring you back again from all the far lands and I will let you live in the place that I chose to live.”

₁₀Lord, they are your servants, your people. You have saved them and made them free with your great power. ₁₁O Lord, please listen to what I am praying. I am your servant. Please listen to what your servants pray. They want to honour and serve You. I want to do something today. Please let me succeed and let the king do what I ask him.’

I was the king's wine steward then.