Neh 1
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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 castle,
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that Hanani, one of my brethren, came out of Judah, he and certain men; and I asked
them concerning the Jews that had escaped, that were left of the captivity, and concerning
Jerusalem.
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And they said unto 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.'
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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,
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and said: 'I beseech Thee, O LORD, the God of heaven, the great and awful God, that
keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love Him and keep His commandments;
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let Thine ear now be attentive, and Thine eyes open, that Thou mayest hearken unto
the prayer of Thy servant, which I pray before Thee at this time, day and night, for
the children of Israel Thy servants, while I confess the sins of the children of Israel,
which we have sinned against Thee; yea, I and my father's house have sinned.
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We have dealt very corruptly against Thee, and have not kept the commandments, nor
the statutes, nor the ordinances which Thou didst command Thy servant Moses.
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Remember, I beseech Thee, the word that Thou didst command Thy servant Moses, saying:
If ye deal treacherously, I will scatter you abroad among the peoples;
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but if ye return unto Me, and keep My commandments and do them, though your dispersed
were in the uttermost part of the heaven, yet will I gather them from thence, and
will bring them unto the place that I have chosen to cause My name to dwell there.
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Now these are Thy servants and Thy people, whom Thou hast redeemed by Thy great power,
and by Thy strong hand.
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O Lord, I beseech Thee, let now Thine ear be attentive to the prayer of Thy servant,
and to the prayer of Thy servants, who delight to fear Thy name; and prosper, I pray
Thee, Thy servant this day, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man.' Now I was
cupbearer to the king.