Nehemiah 1:4–11

⁴When I heard these words, ^aI sat down and wept and mourned for days; and I was fasting and praying before ^bthe God of heaven.

⁵I said, “I beseech You, O Lord God of heaven, ^athe great and awesome God, ^bwho preserves the covenant and lovingkindness for those who love Him and keep His commandments,

^6alet Your ear now be attentive and Your eyes open to hear the prayer of Your servant which I am praying before You now, day and night, on behalf of the sons of Israel Your servants, ^bconfessing the sins of the sons of Israel which we have sinned against You; ^cI and my father’s house have sinned.

⁷“^aWe have acted very corruptly against You and have not kept the commandments, nor the statutes, nor the ordinances ^bwhich You commanded Your servant Moses.

⁸“Remember the word which You commanded Your servant Moses, saying, ‘^aIf you are unfaithful I will scatter you among the peoples;

^9abut if you return to Me and keep My commandments and do them, though those of you who have been scattered were in the most remote part of the heavens, I ^bwill gather them from there and will bring them ^cto the place where I have chosen to cause My name to dwell.’

¹⁰“^aThey are Your servants and Your people whom You redeemed by Your great power and by Your strong hand.

¹¹“O Lord, I beseech You, ^amay Your ear be attentive to the prayer of Your servant and the prayer of Your servants who delight to ¹revere Your name, and make Your servant successful today and grant him compassion before this man.”

Now I was the ^bcupbearer to the king.