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Nehemiah 1

Word reaches Susa, the Persian winter capital, where Nehemiah serves as the king's cupbearer. His brother Hanani and men from Judah report that the survivors back home live in disgrace: Jerusalem's wall is broken down and its gates burned. The news undoes him. Watch how the book opens not with construction but with grief. Nehemiah sits, weeps, fasts, and prays for days before lifting a single stone, and his prayer reaches back to a promise given through Moses.

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Nehemiah 1 (WEB)

1
The words of Nehemiah the son of Hacaliah. Now in the month Chislev, in the twentieth year, as I was in Susa the palace,
2
Hanani, 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.
3
They 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.”
4
When I heard these words, I sat down and wept, and mourned several days; and I fasted and prayed before the God of heaven,
5
and said, “I beg you, LORD, the God of heaven, the great and awesome God who keeps covenant and loving kindness with those who 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 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.
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 beg you, the word that you commanded your servant Moses, saying, ‘If you trespass, I will scatter you among the peoples;
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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 servants and your people, whom you have redeemed by your great power and by your strong hand.
11
Lord, 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.

Nehemías 1 (RV1909)

1
PALABRAS de Nehemías, hijo de Hachâlías. Y acaeció en el mes de Chisleu, en el año veinte, estando yo en Susán, capital del reino,
2
Que vino Hanani, uno de mis hermanos, él y ciertos varones de Judá, y preguntéles por los Judíos que habían escapado, que habían quedado de la cautividad, y por Jerusalem.
3
Y dijéronme: El residuo, los que quedaron de la cautividad allí en la provincia, están en gran mal y afrenta, y el muro de Jerusalem derribado, y sus puertas quemadas á fuego.
4
Y fué que, como yo oí estas palabras, sentéme y lloré, y enlutéme por algunos días, y ayuné y oré delante del Dios de los cielos.
5
Y dije: Ruégote, oh Jehová, Dios de los cielos, fuerte, grande, y terrible, que guarda el pacto y la misericordia á los que le aman y guardan sus mandamientos;
6
Esté ahora atento tu oído, y tus ojos abiertos, para oir la oración de tu siervo, que yo hago ahora delante de ti día y noche, por los hijos de Israel tus siervos; y confieso los pecados de los hijos de Israel que hemos contra ti cometido; sí, yo y la casa de mi padre hemos pecado.
7
En extremo nos hemos corrompido contra ti, y no hemos guardado los mandamientos, y estatutos y juicios, que mandaste á Moisés tu siervo.
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Acuérdate ahora de la palabra que ordenaste á Moisés tu siervo, diciendo: Vosotros prevaricaréis, y yo os esparciré por los pueblos:
9
Mas os volveréis á mí, y guardaréis mis mandamientos, y los pondréis por obra. Si fuere vuestro lanzamiento hasta el cabo de los cielos, de allí os juntaré; y traerlos he al lugar que escogí para hacer habitar allí mi nombre.
10
Ellos pues son tus siervos y tu pueblo, los cuales redimiste con tu gran fortaleza, y con tu mano fuerte.
11
Ruégote, oh Jehová, esté ahora atento tu oído á la oración de tu siervo, y á la oración de tus siervos, quienes desean temer tu nombre: y ahora concede hoy próspero suceso á tu siervo, y dale gracia delante de aquel varón. Porque yo servía de copero al rey.

A prayer that leans on Moses

Nehemiah's prayer (verses 5-11) is built from Scripture he already knows. He recalls the warning and the promise God gave Moses: scatter the unfaithful, but gather the returning. He confesses that "I and my father's house have sinned," refusing to stand apart from his people's guilt.

The closing line quietly sets up everything that follows. He asks God to "grant him mercy in the sight of this man" and then names his post: cupbearer to the king. The man he must persuade is the emperor himself.

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How Nehemiah brings together rebuilding, prayer, leadership, opposition, reform, and public responsibility.

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Confession in the Bible

Confession in the Bible is naming sin out loud before God rather than hiding it. From David's Psalm 51 to John's promise of cleansing, Scripture treats honest admission as the door to mercy.

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