Nehemiah’s Prayer
(Deuteronomy 30:1–10)

1The words of Nehemiah son of Hachaliah. And it will be in the month Chisleu, the twentieth year, and I was in Shushan the fortress; 2And Hanani one of my brethren will come, he and men from Judah; and I shall ask them concerning the Jews of the escaping which were left from the captivity, and concerning Jerusalem. 3And they will say to me, They being left which were left of the captivity there in the province, in great evil and in reproach: and the walls of Jerusalem being broken down, and its gates were burnt with fire.

4And it will be in my hearing these words, I sat down, and I shall weep and mourn days; and I fasted and prayed before the God of the heavens, 5And saying, Now O Jehovah, God of the heavens, the great and terrible God watching the covenant and mercy to those loving him, and to those watching his commands: 6Will now thine ear be attentive and thine eye opened to hear to the prayer of thy servant which I pray before thee this day, day and night, for the sons of Israel thy servants, and confess for the sins of the sons of Israel which we sinned against thee? and and the house of my father sinned. 7Being perverse, we were perverse against thee, and we watched not the commands and the laws and the judgments which thou didst command Moses thy servant. 8Remember now the word that thou didst command Moses thy servant, saying, Ye will transgress; I will scatter you among the nations: 9And did ye turn back to me and watch my commands and do them; if there shall be a thrusting forth of you into the extremity of the heavens, from thence will I gather them and bring them to the place which I chose for my name to dwell there. 10And these thy servants and thy people whom thou didst redeem in thy great power and by thy strong hand. 11Now, O Lord, now will thine ear be attending to the prayer of thy servant, and to the prayer of thy servants, desiring to fear thy name? and prosper now to thy servant this day: and wilt thou give him for compassion before this man? And I was giving drink to the king.