1 ¶ The words of Nehemiah the son of Hachaliah. Now it came to pass in the month Chisleu, in the twentieth year of Artaxerxes, as I was in the palace at Shushan,

2 That Hanani, one of my brothers, came with some others from Judah; and I asked them about the surviving Jews who had escaped captivity, and about Jerusalem.

3 And they said to me, The remnant there in the province who escaped captivity are in great affliction and reproach: the wall of Jerusalem also is broken down, and its gates destroyed by fire.

4 And when I heard these words, I sat down and wept, and mourned for days, and fasted, and prayed before the God of heaven,

5 ¶ And said, I beseech you, O LORD God of heaven, the great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant and mercy for those who love him and observe his commandments:

6 Let your eyes see, and your ears hear the prayer of your servant, which I pray before you now, day and night, for the children of Israel your servants, I confess the sins of the children of Israel, that we have sinned against you: both I and my father’s house have sinned.

7 We have acted very corruptly against you, and have not kept the commandments, or the statutes, or the judgments, that you gave your servant Moses.

8 Remember, I beg you, the words that you directed your servant Moses to say, If you transgress, I will scatter you abroad among the nations:

9 But if you turn to me, and keep my commandments, and do them; though you may be driven to the outmost parts of heaven, I will gather you from there, and will bring you to the place that I have chosen to put my name.

10 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 implore you, let your ear now be attentive to the prayer of your servant, and to the prayers of your servants, who delight to fear your name: and give success to your servant this day, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man. For I was the king’s cupbearer.