Nehemiah 1:1 - Prayer Tents

1The memoirs of Nehemiah son of Hacaliah. It was the month of Kislev in the twentieth year. At the time I was in the palace complex at Susa.H1697H5166H1121H2446H2320H3691H6242H8141H7800H1002 2Hanani, one of my brothers, had just arrived from Judah with some fellow Jews. I asked them about the conditions among the Jews there who had survived the exile, and about Jerusalem.H2607H259H251H935H582H3063H7592H3064H6413H7604H7628H3389 3They told me, "The exile survivors who are left there in the province are in bad shape. Conditions are appalling. The wall of Jerusalem is still rubble; the city gates are still cinders."H559H7604H7604H7628H4082H1419H7451H2781H2346H3389H6555H8179H3341H784 4When I heard this, I sat down and wept. I mourned for days, fasting and praying before the God-of-Heaven.H8085H1697H3427H1058H56H3117H6684H6419H6440H430H8064 5I said, "GOD, God-of-Heaven, the great and awesome God, loyal to his covenant and faithful to those who love him and obey his commands:H559H577H3068H430H8064H1419H3372H410H8104H1285H2617H157H8104H4687 6Look at me, listen to me. Pay attention to this prayer of your servant that I'm praying day and night in intercession for your servants, the People of Israel, confessing the sins of the People of Israel. And I'm including myself, I and my ancestors, among those who have sinned against you.H241H7183H5869H6605H8085H8605H5650H6419H6440H3117H3119H3915H1121H3478H5650H3034H2403H1121H3478H2398H1H1004H2398 7"We've treated you like dirt: We haven't done what you told us, haven't followed your commands, and haven't respected the decisions you gave to Moses your servant.H2254H2254H8104H4687H2706H4941H6680H5650H4872 8All the same, remember the warning you posted to your servant Moses: 'If you betray me, I'll scatter you to the four winds,H2142H1697H6680H5650H4872H559H4603H6327H5971 9but if you come back to me and do what I tell you, I'll gather up all these scattered peoples from wherever they ended up and put them back in the place I chose to mark with my Name.'H7725H8104H4687H6213H5080H7097H8064H6908H935H4725H977H7931H8034 10"Well, there they are—your servants, your people whom you so powerfully and impressively redeemed.H5650H5971H6299H1419H3581H2389H3027 11O Master, listen to me, listen to your servant's prayer—and yes, to all your servants who delight in honoring you—and make me successful today so that I get what I want from the king." I was cupbearer to the king.H136H577H241H7183H8605H5650H8605H5650H2655H3372H8034H6743H5650H3117H5414H7356H6440H376H4428H8248