Nehemiah 1:3–10

³And they said to me, “The survivors who are left from the captivity in the ^eprovince are there in great distress and ^freproach. ^gThe wall of Jerusalem ^his also broken down, and its gates are burned with fire.”

⁴So it was, when I heard these words, that I sat down and wept, and mourned for many days; I was fasting and praying before the God of heaven.

⁵And I said: “I pray, ⁱLord God of heaven, O great and ^jawesome God, ^kYou who keep Your covenant and mercy with those who love ³You and observe ⁴Your commandments, ⁶please let Your ear be attentive and ^lYour eyes open, that You may hear the prayer of Your servant which I pray before You now, day and night, for the children of Israel Your servants, and ^mconfess the sins of the children of Israel which we have sinned against You. Both my father’s house and I have sinned. ⁷ⁿWe have acted very corruptly against You, and have ^onot kept the commandments, the statutes, nor the ordinances which You commanded Your servant Moses. ⁸Remember, I pray, the word that You commanded Your servant Moses, saying, ^p‘If you ⁵are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the nations; ^9qbut if you return to Me, and keep My commandments and do them, ^rthough some of you were cast out to the farthest part of the heavens, yet I will gather them from there, and bring them to the place which I have chosen as a dwelling for My name.’ ^10sNow these are Your servants and Your people, whom You have redeemed by Your great power, and by Your strong hand.