Nehemiah 1: Nehemiah hears about Jerusalem and prays
A free study, verse by verse. Text: World English Bible. Notes come from the Hebrew. How to read a study
What happens?
Nehemiah, in Susa in the twentieth year, is visited by Hanani, one of his brothers, and some men from Judah, and asks them about the Jews who escaped and about Jerusalem. They tell him the survivors are in great trouble and shame, and that the wall of Jerusalem is broken down and its gates burned. He sits down, weeps, mourns, fasts and prays to the God of heaven, confessing the sins of Israel and his own father's house, and asks for compassion in the sight of "this man". The chapter ends by saying he was the king's cupbearer.
Who is speaking?
God does not speak in this chapter, so nothing is in gold. Verse 1 begins "The words of Nehemiah the son of Hacaliah", and Nehemiah tells the story as "I". In verse 3 Hanani and the men with him speak to Nehemiah. Verses 5 to 11 are Nehemiah's prayer to Yahweh. In verses 8 and 9 he recalls what Yahweh told Moses; those are Nehemiah's words reporting it, not God's own words. God's own words are printed in gold, and those verses are marked God speaks
1The words of Nehemiah the son of Hacaliah. Now in the month Chislev, in the twentieth year, as I was in Susa the palace,
In plain English: These are the words of Nehemiah, the son of Hacaliah. In the month of Chislev, in the twentieth year, I was in Susa, the palace (or: citadel, fortress),
The Hebrew word: "Palace" is birah, which the dictionary gives as "a castle or palace". The word is in 3 verses of Nehemiah (, and ). The WEB says "palace" in this verse, "citadel" in 2:8 and "fortress" in 7:2.
Good to know: The text says "the twentieth year" and does not say of whom in this verse. says "the twentieth year of Artaxerxes the king". The text gives no calendar date.
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2Hanani, one of my brothers, came, he and certain men out of Judah; and I asked them about the Jews who had escaped, who were left of the captivity, and concerning Jerusalem.
In plain English: Hanani, one of my brothers, came, he and some men from Judah. I asked them about the Jews who had escaped, the ones left from the captivity, and about Jerusalem.
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3They said to me, “The remnant who are left of the captivity there in the province are in great affliction and reproach. The wall of Jerusalem is also broken down, and its gates are burned with fire.”
In plain English: They said to me, "The ones left from the captivity, there in the province, are in great trouble and disgrace. The wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates have been burned with fire."
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4When I heard these words, I sat down and wept, and mourned several days; and I fasted and prayed before the God of heaven,
In plain English: When I heard these words, I sat down and wept. I mourned for several days, and I fasted and prayed before the God of heaven,
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5and said, “I beg you, Yahweh, the God of heaven, the great and awesome God who keeps covenant and loving kindness with those who love him and keep his commandments,
In plain English: and I said, "I beg you, Yahweh, God of heaven, the great and awesome God, who keeps covenant and loving kindness with those who love him and keep his commandments,
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6let your ear now be attentive and your eyes open, that you may listen to the prayer of your servant which I pray before you at this time, day and night, for the children of Israel your servants, while I confess the sins of the children of Israel which we have sinned against you. Yes, I and my father’s house have sinned.
In plain English: let your ear be attentive and your eyes open, to listen to the prayer of your servant. I am praying before you now, day and night, for the children of Israel your servants, and I confess the sins of the children of Israel, which we have sinned against you. Yes, I and my father's house have sinned.
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7We have dealt very corruptly against you, and have not kept the commandments, nor the statutes, nor the ordinances, which you commanded your servant Moses.
In plain English: We have dealt very corruptly against you. We have not kept the commandments, the statutes or the ordinances that you commanded your servant Moses.
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8“Remember, I beg you, the word that you commanded your servant Moses, saying, ‘If you trespass, I will scatter you among the peoples;
In plain English: "Remember, I beg you, the word that you commanded your servant Moses: 'If you trespass (or: act unfaithfully), I will scatter you among the peoples,
Good to know: In verses 8 and 9 Nehemiah reminds Yahweh of what he said to Moses. These are Nehemiah's words in his prayer, telling what he recalls Yahweh said, so they are not in gold.
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9but 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.’
In plain English: but if you return to me, keep my commandments and do them, then even if your outcasts are at the far end of the heavens, I will gather them from there and bring them to the place I have chosen, to make my name live there.'
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10“Now these are your servants and your people, whom you have redeemed by your great power and by your strong hand.
In plain English: "These are your servants and your people, whom you redeemed by your great strength and your strong hand.
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11Lord, I beg you, let your ear be attentive now to the prayer of your servant, and to the prayer of your servants who delight to fear your name; and please prosper your servant today, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man.” Now I was cup bearer to the king.
In plain English: "Lord, I beg you, let your ear be attentive to the prayer of your servant and to the prayer of your servants who delight to fear your name. Please give your servant success today, and give him compassion (or: mercy) in the sight of this man." I was the king's cupbearer.
The Hebrew word: "Cupbearer" is mashqeh, which the dictionary gives as "properly, causing to drink, i.e. a butler". The word is in this verse only in Nehemiah, and the WEB says "cup bearer".
Good to know: The verse does not say who "this man" is. Its last words say Nehemiah was "cup bearer to the king", and in he gives the wine to the king, whom that verse calls Artaxerxes.
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