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¹ The words of Nehemiah the son of Hacaliah. Now it came to pass in the month Chislev, in the twentieth year, as I was in Shushan the palace,² that Hanani, one of my brothers, came, he and certain men out of Judah; and I asked them concerning the Jews that had escaped, that were left of the captivity, and concerning Jerusalem.³ And they said to me, The remnant that are left of the captivity there in the province are in great affliction and reproach: the wall of Jerusalem also is broken down, and the gates thereof are burned with fire.⁴ And it came to pass, when I heard these words, that I sat down and wept, and mourned certain days; and I fasted and prayed before the God of heaven,

⁵ and said, I urge you, O Yahweh, the God of heaven, the great and awesome God, that keeps covenant and loving-kindness with those that love him and keep his commandments:⁶ Let your ear now be attentive, and your eyes open, that you may listen to the prayer of your slave, which I pray before you at this time, day and night, for the sons of Israel your slaves while I confess the sins of the sons of Israel, which we have sinned against you. Yes, I and my father's house have sinned:⁷ we have dealt very corruptly against you, and have not kept the commandments, nor the statutes, nor the ordinances, which you commanded your slave Moses.⁸ Remember, I urge you, the word that you commanded your slave Moses, saying, If you trespass, I will scatter you abroad among the peoples:⁹ but if you return to me, and keep my commandments and do them, though your outcasts were in the uttermost part of the heavens, yet I will gather them from there, and will bring them to the place that I have chosen, to cause my name to dwell there.¹⁰ Now these are your slaves and your people, whom you have redeemed by your great power, and by your strong hand.¹¹ O Lord, I urge you, let now your ear be attentive to the prayer of your slave, and to the prayer of your slaves, who delight to fear your name; and prosper, I pray you, your slave this day, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man. Now I was cupbearer to the king.