New American Standard Bible 2020

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,and some menH376from Judahמִֽיהוּדָ֑הmi.hu.DahH3063cameוַיָּבֹ֨אvai.ya.Vo'H935;and I askedוָאֶשְׁאָלֵ֞םva.'esh.'a.LemH7592them aboutעַל־'al-H5921the Jewsהַיְּהוּדִ֧יםhai.ye.hu.DimH3064who had escapedהַפְּלֵיטָ֛הha.pe.lei.TahH6413and had survivedנִשְׁאֲר֥וּnish.'a.RuH7604the captivityהַשֶּׁ֖בִיha.She.viH7628,and aboutוְעַל־ve.'al-H5921Jerusalemיְרוּשָׁלִָֽם׃ye.ru.sha.LimH3389.

3And they 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.LahH1419distressH7463anddisgraceוּבְחֶרְפָּ֑הu.ve.cher.PahH2781, andthe wallוְחוֹמַ֤תve.cho.MatH2346of Jerusalemיְרוּשָׁלִַ֙ם֙ye.ru.sha.LimH3389is brokenH6555downמְפֹרָ֔צֶתme.fo.Ra.tzetH6555andits gatesוּשְׁעָרֶ֖יהָu.she.'a.Rei.haH8179have been burnedנִצְּת֥וּni.tze.TuH3341with fireבָאֵֽשׁ׃va.'EshH784.”

4Now when 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, “Pleaseאָֽנָּ֤א'a.Na'H577, Lordיְהוָה֙Yah.wehH3068Godאֱלֹהֵ֣י'e.lo.HeiH430of heavenהַשָּׁמַ֔יִםha.sha.Ma.yimH8064,the greatהַגָּד֖וֹלha.ga.DolH1419and awesomeוְהַנּוֹרָ֑אve.ha.no.Ra'H3372Godהָאֵ֥לha.'ElH410,who keepsשֹׁמֵ֤רsho.MerH8104the covenantהַבְּרִית֙ha.be.RitH1285and faithfulnessוָחֶ֔סֶדva.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.ChotH6605,to 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,onH5921behalfH5921ofH5921the 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 committedחָטָ֣אנוּcha.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-H2142,pleaseנָא֙na'H4994,the wordהַדָּבָ֔רha.da.VarH1697whichאֲשֶׁ֥ר'a.SherH834You commandedצִוִּ֛יתָtzi.Vi.taH6680Your servantעַבְדְּךָ֖'av.de.KhaH5650Mosesמֹשֶׁ֥הmo.ShehH4872,sayingלֵאמֹ֑רle.MorH559, ‘Ifyou areH4603unfaithfulH4603,I 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 bringוַהֲבִֽיאוֹתִים֙va.ha.vo.'o.timH935themto the placeהַמָּק֔וֹםha.ma.KomH4725whereאֲשֶׁ֣ר שָֽׁם׃'a.Sher ShamH834 H8033I have chosenבָּחַ֔רְתִּיba.Char.tiH977to have My nameשְׁמִ֖יshe.MiH8034dwellלְשַׁכֵּ֥ןle.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.

11Pleaseאָנָּ֣א'a.Na'H577,Lordאֲדֹנָ֗י'a.do.NaiH136,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 pleaseH4994makeH6743Your servantלְעַבְדְּךָ֙le.'av.de.KhaH5650successfulH6743todayהַיּ֔וֹםhai.YomH3117and grantוּתְנֵ֣הוּu.te.Ne.huH5414him mercyלְרַחֲמִ֔יםle.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