The wordsof Nehemiahthe sonof Hachaliah. And it came to passin the monthChisleu, in the twentiethyear, as Iwasin Shushanthe palace, That Hanani, oneof my brethren, came, heand certain menof Judah; and I askedthem concerningthe Jewsthat had escaped, whichwere leftofthe captivity, and concerningJerusalem. And they saidunto me, The remnantthatare leftofthe captivitytherein the province are in greatafflictionand reproach: the wallof Jerusalemalso is broken down, and the gatesthereof are burnedwith fire. And it came to pass, when I heardthesewords, that I sat downand wept, and mourned certain days, and fasted, and prayedbeforethe Godof heaven, And said, I beseechthee, O LORDGodof heaven, the greatand terribleGod, that keepethcovenantand mercyfor them that lovehim and observehis commandments: Let thine earnowbeattentive, and thine eyesopen, that thou mayest hearthe prayerof thy servant, whichIpraybeforethee now, dayand night, forthe childrenof Israelthy servants, and confessthe sinsof the childrenof Israel, whichwe have sinnedagainst thee: both Iand my father's househave sinned. We have dealt very corruptlyagainst thee, and have notkeptthe commandments, nor the statutes, nor the judgments, whichthou commandedstthy servantMoses. Remember, I beseechthee, the wordthatthou commandedstthy servantMoses, saying, If yetransgress, Iwill scatter you abroadamong the nations: But if ye turnuntome, and keepmy commandments, and dothem; thoughthere wereof you cast outunto the uttermost partof the heaven, yet will I gatherthem from thence, and will bringthem untothe placethatI have chosento setmy namethere. Now these are thy servantsand thy people, whomthou hast redeemedby thy greatpower, and by thy stronghand. O Lord, I beseechthee, let nowthine earbeattentivetothe prayerof thy servant, and tothe prayerof thy servants, who desireto fearthy name: and prosper, I praythee, thy servantthis day, and granthim mercyin the sightof thisman. For Iwasthe king's cupbearer.