³They said to me, “The remnant in the province,^h who survived the exile, are in great trouble and disgrace. Jerusalem’s wall has been broken down, and its gates have been burned.”ⁱ

NEHEMIAH’S PRAYER

⁴When I heard these words, I sat down and wept. I mourned for a number of days, fasting and praying^j before the God of the heavens.^k ⁵I said,^l

Lord, the God of the heavens, the great and awe-inspiring God who keeps his gracious covenant with those who love him^m and keep his commands,ⁿ ⁶let your eyes be open and your ears be attentive^o to hear your servant’s prayer that I now pray to you day and night^p for your servants, the Israelites. I confess the sins^A we have committed against you. Both I and my father’s family have sinned.^q ⁷We have acted corruptly toward you and have not kept the commands, statutes, and ordinances you gave your servant Moses.^r ⁸Please remember what you commanded your servant Moses: “If you are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the peoples.^s ⁹But if you return to me and carefully observe my commands, even though your exiles were banished to the farthest horizon,^B I will gather them from there and bring them to the place where I chose to have my name dwell.”^t ¹⁰They are your servants and your people. You redeemed them by your great power and strong hand.^u

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Footnotes

A sins of the Israelites
B skies

Cross references

h Ezr 2:1; Neh 11:3
i Ezr 4:12–13,16; Neh 2:13
j Ezr 9:3; 10:1; Ps 35:13; Dn 9:3; Lk 2:37; Ac 13:3
k Ezr 1:2; Neh 2:4
l Dn 9:4–19
m Dt 6:5; 7:9–11; Rm 8:28
n Dn 9:4
o 2Ch 6:40
p Ps 88:1–2; 2Tm 1:3
q Dn 9:5,8,20
r 2Ch 29:6; Dn 9:5–6,11
s Dt 4:25–27; 28:64; Dn 9:7
t Dt 30:1–5
u Dt 9:29; Dn 9:15