Nehemiah’s Prayer for Israel
1   The words of Nehemiah the son of Hacaliah. And it came to pass in the month Chislev, in the twentieth year, as I was in Shushan the citadel,
2   That Hanani, one of my brothers, came, he and  certain  men  of  Judah;  and  I  asked them concerning  the  Jews that  had  escaped,  who were left of the captivity, and concerning Jerusalem.
3   And they said unto me, The remnant that are left of the captivity there in the province are in great   distress   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 fasted, and prayed before the God of heaven,
5   And said, I beseech you, O LORD God of heaven, the great and awesome God, that keeps covenant and mercy for them that love him and observe his commandments:
6   Let your ear now be attentive, and your 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 confess the sins of the children of Israel, which we have  sinned  against  you:  both  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 servant Moses.
8   Remember, I beseech you, the word that you commanded your servant Moses, saying, If you transgress, I will scatter you abroad among the nations:
9   But if you turn unto me, and keep my commandments, and do them; though some of you were cast out unto the uttermost part of the heaven, yet will I gather them from there, and will bring them unto the place that I have chosen to set my name there.
10   Now these  are  your  servants  and  your people, whom you have redeemed by your great power, and by your strong hand.
11   O Lord, I beseech you, let now your ear be attentive to the prayer of your servant, and to the prayer of your servants, who desire to fear your name: and prosper, I pray you, your servant this day,  and grant him mercy in the sight  of this man. For I was the king’s cupbearer.