Nehemiah
1:1-2:9
NIV
Translation
Nehemiah
1
Nehemiah's
Prayer
1
The words of Nehemiah son of Hacaliah: In the month of Kislev in the twentieth
year, while I was in the citadel of Susa,
2
Hanani, one of my brothers, came from Judah with some other men, and I
questioned them about the Jewish remnant that survived the exile, and also
about Jerusalem.
3
They said to me, "Those who survived the exile and are back in the province
are in great trouble and disgrace. The wall of Jerusalem is broken down,
and its gates have been burned with fire."
4
When I heard these things, I sat down and wept. For some days I mourned
and fasted and prayed before the God of heaven.
5
Then I said: "O LORD, God of heaven, the great and awesome God, who keeps
his covenant of love with those who love him and obey his commands,
6
let your ear be attentive and your eyes open to hear the prayer your servant
is praying before you day and night for your servants, the people of Israel.
I confess the sins we Israelites, including myself and my father's house,
have committed against you.
7
We have acted very wickedly toward you. We have not obeyed the commands,
decrees and laws you gave your servant Moses.
8
"Remember the instruction you gave your servant Moses, saying, 'If you
are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the nations,
9
but if you return to me and obey my commands, then even if your exiled
people are at the farthest horizon, I will gather them from there and bring
them to the place I have chosen as a dwelling for my Name.'
10
"They are your servants and your people, whom you redeemed by your great
strength and your mighty hand.
11
O Lord, let your ear be attentive to the prayer of this your servant and
to the prayer of your servants who delight in revering your name. Give
your servant success today by granting him favor in the presence of this
man." I was cupbearer to the king.
Nehemiah
2
Artaxerxes
Sends Nehemiah to Jerusalem
1
In the month of Nisan in the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes, when wine
was brought for him, I took the wine and gave it to the king. I had not
been sad in his presence before;
2
so the king asked me, "Why does your face look so sad when you are not
ill? This can be nothing but sadness of heart." I was very much afraid,
3
but I said to the king, "May the king live forever! Why should my face
not look sad when the city where my fathers are buried lies in ruins, and
its gates have been destroyed by fire?"
4
The king said to me, "What is it you want?" Then I prayed to the God
of heaven,
5
and I answered the king, "If it pleases the king and if your servant has
found favor in his sight, let him send me to the city in Judah where my
fathers are buried so that I can rebuild it."
6
Then the king, with the queen sitting beside him, asked me, "How long will
your journey take, and when will you get back?" It pleased the king to
send me; so I set a time.
7
I also said to him, "If it pleases the king, may I have letters to the
governors of Trans-Euphrates, so that they will provide me safe-conduct
until I arrive in Judah?
8
And may I have a letter to Asaph, keeper of the king's forest, so he
will give me timber to make beams for the gates of the citadel by the temple
and for the city wall and for the residence I will occupy?" And because
the gracious hand of my God was upon me, the king granted my requests.
9
So I went to the governors of Trans-Euphrates and gave them the king's
letters. The king had also sent army officers and cavalry with me. |
Nehemiah
1:1-2:9
New
Living Translation
Nehemiah
1
Nehemiah’s Concern for
Jerusalem
1 These are the memoirs
of Nehemiah son of Hacaliah. In late autumn, in the month of Kislev, in
the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes’ reign, I was at the fortress of
Susa.
2 Hanani, one of
my brothers, came to visit me with some other men who had just arrived
from Judah. I asked them about the Jews who had returned there from captivity
and about how things were going in Jerusalem.
3 They said to me,
“Things are not going well for those who returned to the province of Judah.
They are in great trouble and disgrace. The wall of Jerusalem has been
torn down, and the gates have been destroyed by fire.”
4 When I heard this,
I sat down and wept. In fact, for days I mourned, fasted, and prayed to
the God of heaven.
5 Then I said, “O
Lord, God of heaven, the great and awesome God who keeps his covenant of
unfailing love with those who love him and obey his commands,
6 listen to my prayer!
Look down and see me praying night and day for your people Israel. I confess
that we have sinned against you. Yes, even my own family and I have sinned!
7 We have sinned
terribly by not obeying the commands, decrees, and regulations that you
gave us through your servant Moses.
8 “Please remember
what you told your servant Moses: ‘If you are unfaithful to me, I will
scatter you among the nations.
9 But if you return
to me and obey my commands and live by them, then even if you are exiled
to the ends of the earth, I will bring you back to the place I have chosen
for my name to be honored.’
10 “The people you
rescued by your great power and strong hand are your servants.
11 O Lord, please
hear my prayer! Listen to the prayers of those of us who delight in honoring
you. Please grant me success today by making the king favorable to me.
Put it into his heart to be kind to me.” In those days I was the king’s
cup-bearer.
Nehemiah
2
Nehemiah Goes to Jerusalem
1 Early the following
spring, in the month of Nisan, during the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes’
reign, I was serving the king his wine. I had never before appeared sad
in his presence.
2 So the king asked
me, “Why are you looking so sad? You don’t look sick to me. You must be
deeply troubled.” Then I was terrified,
3 but I replied,
“Long live the king! How can I not be sad? For the city where my ancestors
are buried is in ruins, and the gates have been destroyed by fire.”
4 The king asked,
“Well, how can I help you?” With a prayer to the God of heaven,
5 I replied, “If
it please the king, and if you are pleased with me, your servant, send
me to Judah to rebuild the city where my ancestors are buried.”
6 The king, with
the queen sitting beside him, asked, “How long will you be gone? When will
you return?” After I told him how long I would be gone, the king agreed
to my request.
7 I also said to
the king, “If it please the king, let me have letters addressed to the
governors of the province west of the Euphrates River, instructing them
to let me travel safely through their territories on my way to Judah.
8 And please give
me a letter addressed to Asaph, the manager of the king’s forest, instructing
him to give me timber. I will need it to make beams for the gates of the
Temple fortress, for the city walls, and for a house for myself.” And the
king granted these requests, because the gracious hand of God was on me.
9 When I came to
the governors of the province west of the Euphrates River, I delivered
the king’s letters to them. The king, I should add, had sent along army
officers and horsemen to protect me. |
