New American Standard Bible 1995

Nehemiah 1

Nehemiah’s Grief for the Exiles

1The wordsדִּבְרֵ֥יdiv.ReiH1697ofNehemiahנְחֶמְיָ֖הne.chem.YahH5166the sonבֶּן־ben-H1121of Hacaliahחֲכַלְיָ֑הcha.khal.YahH2446.Now it happenedH1961inthe monthבְחֹֽדֶשׁ־ve.cho.desh-H2320Chislevכִּסְלֵיו֙kis.levH3691, inthe twentiethעֶשְׂרִ֔ים'es.RimH6242yearשְׁנַ֣תshe.NatH8141, while I was inSusaבְּשׁוּשַׁ֥ןbe.shu.ShanH7800thecapitolהַבִּירָֽה׃ha.bi.RahH1002,

2thatHananiחֲנָ֜נִיcha.Na.niH2607,oneאֶחָ֧ד'e.ChadH259of my brothersמֵאַחַ֛יme.'a.ChaiH251, andsome menH376from Judahמִֽיהוּדָ֑הmi.hu.DahH3063cameוַיָּבֹ֨אvai.ya.Vo'H935;and I askedוָאֶשְׁאָלֵ֞םva.'esh.'a.LemH7592them concerningעַל־'al-H5921the Jewsהַיְּהוּדִ֧יםhai.ye.hu.DimH3064who had escapedהַפְּלֵיטָ֛הha.pe.lei.TahH6413andhad survivedנִשְׁאֲר֥וּnish.'a.RuH7604the captivityהַשֶּׁ֖בִיha.She.viH7628,and aboutוְעַל־ve.'al-H5921Jerusalemיְרוּשָׁלִָֽם׃ye.ru.sha.LimH3389.

3They saidוַיֹּאמְרוּ֮vai.yo.me.RuH559to me, “The remnantהַֽנִּשְׁאָרִ֞יםha.nish.'a.RimH7604thereשָׁ֣םshamH8033in theprovinceבַּמְּדִינָ֔הba.me.di.NahH4082whoאֲשֶֽׁר־'a.Sher-H834survivedנִשְׁאֲר֤וּnish.'a.RuH7604the captivityהַשְּׁבִי֙ha.she.ViH7628are in greatגְדֹלָ֖הge.do.LahH1419distressH7463andreproachוּבְחֶרְפָּ֑הu.ve.cher.PahH2781, andthe wallוְחוֹמַ֤תve.cho.MatH2346of Jerusalemיְרוּשָׁלִַ֙ם֙ye.ru.sha.LimH3389is brokenH6555downמְפֹרָ֔צֶתme.fo.Ra.tzetH6555andits gatesוּשְׁעָרֶ֖יהָu.she.'a.Rei.haH8179are burnedנִצְּת֥וּni.tze.TuH3341with fireבָאֵֽשׁ׃va.'EshH784.”

4When I heardכְּשָׁמְעִ֣י׀ke.sha.me.'IH8085theseהָאֵ֗לֶּהha.'E.lehH428wordsהַדְּבָרִ֣יםha.de.va.RimH1697,I satH3427downיָשַׁ֙בְתִּי֙ya.Shav.tiH3427and weptוָֽאֶבְכֶּ֔הva.'ev.KehH1058and mournedוָאֶתְאַבְּלָ֖הva.'et.'a.be.LahH56for daysיָמִ֑יםya.MimH3117;and I was fastingצָם֙tzamH6684and prayingוּמִתְפַּלֵּ֔לu.mit.pa.LelH6419beforeלִפְנֵ֖יlif.NeiH6440the Godאֱלֹהֵ֥י'e.lo.HeiH430of heavenהַשָּׁמָֽיִם׃ha.sha.Ma.yimH8064.

5I saidוָאֹמַ֗רva.'o.MarH559, “I beseechאָֽנָּ֤א'a.Na'H577You, O Lordיְהוָה֙Yah.wehH3068Godאֱלֹהֵ֣י'e.lo.HeiH430of heavenהַשָּׁמַ֔יִםha.sha.Ma.yimH8064,the greatהַגָּד֖וֹלha.ga.DolH1419and awesomeוְהַנּוֹרָ֑אve.ha.no.Ra'H3372Godהָאֵ֥לha.'ElH410,who preservesשֹׁמֵ֤רsho.MerH8104the covenantהַבְּרִית֙ha.be.RitH1285and lovingkindnessוָחֶ֔סֶדva.Che.sedH2617for those who loveלְאֹהֲבָ֖יוle.'o.ha.VavH157Him and keepוּלְשֹׁמְרֵ֥יu.le.sho.me.ReiH8104His commandmentsמִצְוֹתָֽיו׃mitz.vo.TavH4687,

6let Your earאָזְנְךָֽ־'a.ze.ne.kha-H241nowנָ֣אna'H4994be attentiveקַשֶּׁ֣בֶתka.She.vetH7183and Your eyesוְֽעֵינֶ֪יךָve.'ei.Nei.khaH5869openפְתֻוּח֟וֹתfe.tu.v.ChotH6605to hearלִשְׁמֹ֣עַlish.Mo.a'H8085the prayerתְּפִלַּ֣תte.fi.LatH8605of Your servantעַבְדְּךָ֡'av.de.KhaH5650whichאֲשֶׁ֣ר'a.SherH834I am prayingמִתְפַּלֵּ֨לmit.pa.LelH6419beforeלְפָנֶ֤יךָle.fa.Nei.khaH6440You nowהַיּוֹם֙hai.yOmH3117,dayיוֹמָ֣םyo.MamH3119and nightוָלַ֔יְלָהva.Lay.lahH3915,on behalfH5921of the sonsבְּנֵ֥יbe.NeiH1121of Israelיִשְׂרָאֵ֖לYis.ra.'ElH3478Your servantsעֲבָדֶ֑יךָ'a.va.Dei.khaH5650,confessingוּמִתְוַדֶּ֗הu.mit.va.DehH3034the sinsחַטֹּ֤אותcha.TotH2403of the sonsבְּנֵֽי־be.nei-H1121of Israelיִשְׂרָאֵל֙Yis.ra.'ElH3478whichאֲשֶׁ֣ר'a.SherH834we have sinnedחָטָ֣אנוּcha.Ta.nuH2398against You;I and my father’sאָבִ֖י'a.ViH1houseוּבֵית־u.veit-H1004have sinnedחָטָֽאנוּ׃cha.Ta.nuH2398.

7We have actedחֲבֹ֖לcha.VolH2254veryH2254corruptlyחָבַ֣לְנוּcha.Val.nuH2254against You and have not keptשָׁמַ֣רְנוּsha.Mar.nuH8104the commandmentsהַמִּצְוֹ֗תha.mitz.VotH4687,norH3808the statutesהַֽחֻקִּים֙ha.chu.KimH2706,norH3808the ordinancesהַמִּשְׁפָּטִ֔יםha.mish.pa.TimH4941whichאֲשֶׁ֥ר'a.SherH834You commandedצִוִּ֖יתָtzi.Vi.taH6680Your servantעַבְדֶּֽךָ׃'av.De.khaH5650Mosesמֹשֶׁ֥הmo.ShehH4872.

8Rememberזְכָר־ze.khor-H2142the wordהַדָּבָ֔רha.da.VarH1697whichאֲשֶׁ֥ר'a.SherH834You commandedצִוִּ֛יתָtzi.Vi.taH6680Your servantעַבְדְּךָ֖'av.de.KhaH5650Mosesמֹשֶׁ֥הmo.ShehH4872,sayingלֵאמֹ֑רle.MorH559, ‘If you are unfaithfulתִּמְעָ֔לוּtim.'A.luH4603I will scatterאָפִ֥יץ'a.FitzH6327you among the peoplesבָּעַמִּֽים׃ba.'a.MimH5971;

9but ifyou returnוְשַׁבְתֶּ֣םve.shav.TemH7725to Me and keepוּשְׁמַרְתֶּם֙u.she.mar.TemH8104My commandmentsמִצְוֹתַ֔יmitz.vo.TaiH4687and doוַעֲשִׂיתֶ֖םva.'a.si.TemH6213them, thoughאִם־'im-H518those of you who have been scatteredנִֽדַּחֲכֶ֜םni.da.cha.KhemH5080were in the mostH7097remoteH7097partH7097of the heavensהַשָּׁמַ֙יִם֙ha.sha.Ma.yimH8064, Iwill gatherאֲקַבְּצֵ֔ם'a.ka.be.TzemH6908them from thereמִשָּׁ֣םmi.ShamH8033and will bringוַהֲבִֽיאוֹתִים֙va.ha.vo.'o.timH935themto the placeהַמָּק֔וֹםha.ma.KomH4725whereאֲשֶׁ֣ר שָֽׁם׃'a.Sher ShamH834 H8033I have chosenבָּחַ֔רְתִּיba.Char.tiH977to cause My nameשְׁמִ֖יshe.MiH8034to dwellלְשַׁכֵּ֥ןle.sha.KenH7931.’

10They are Your servantsעֲבָדֶ֖יךָ'a.va.Dei.khaH5650and Your peopleוְעַמֶּ֑ךָve.'a.Me.khaH5971whomאֲשֶׁ֤ר'a.SherH834You redeemedפָּדִ֙יתָ֙pa.Di.taH6299by Your greatהַגָּד֔וֹלha.ga.DolH1419powerבְּכֹחֲךָ֣be.kho.cha.KhaH3581and by Your strongהַחֲזָקָֽה׃ha.cha.za.KahH2389handוּבְיָדְךָ֖u.ve.ya.de.KhaH3027.

11OH577Lordאֲדֹנָ֗י'a.do.NaiH136,I beseechH577You,may Your earאָזְנְךָֽ־'a.ze.ne.kha-H241be attentiveקַ֠שֶּׁבֶתKa.she.vetH7183to the prayerתְּפִלַּ֨תte.fi.LatH8605of Your servantעַבְדְּךָ֜'av.de.KhaH5650and the prayerתְּפִלַּ֣תte.fi.LatH8605of Your servantsעֲבָדֶ֗יךָ'a.va.Dei.khaH5650who delightהַֽחֲפֵצִים֙ha.cha.fe.TzimH2655torevereלְיִרְאָ֣הle.yir.'AhH3372Your nameשְׁמֶ֔ךָshe.Me.khaH8034,and makeH6743Your servantלְעַבְדְּךָ֙le.'av.de.KhaH5650successfulH6743todayהַיּ֔וֹםhai.YomH3117and grantוּתְנֵ֣הוּu.te.Ne.huH5414him compassionלְרַחֲמִ֔יםle.ra.cha.MimH7356beforeלִפְנֵ֖יlif.NeiH6440thisהַזֶּ֑הha.ZehH2088manהָאִ֣ישׁha.'IshH376.” Now I was thecupbearerמַשְׁקֶ֖הmash.KehH4945to the kingלַמֶּֽלֶךְ׃ פla.Me.lekhH4428.

Nehemiah’s Grief for the Exiles

Commentaries on Nehemiah 1