Revised Literal Translation

Nehemiah 1

1The wordsדִּבְרֵ֥יdiv.ReiH1697of Nehemiahנְחֶמְיָ֖הne.chem.YahH5166the sonבֶּן־ben-H1121of Hachaliahחֲכַלְיָ֑הcha.khal.YahH2446.And it came to pass in the monthבְחֹֽדֶשׁ־ve.cho.desh-H2320Chisleuכִּסְלֵיו֙kis.levH3691,in the twentiethעֶשְׂרִ֔ים'es.RimH6242yearשְׁנַ֣תshe.NatH8141,as I was in Shushanבְּשׁוּשַׁ֥ןbe.shu.ShanH7800the palaceהַבִּירָֽה׃ha.bi.RahH1002,

2That Hananiחֲנָ֜נִיcha.Na.niH2607,oneאֶחָ֧ד'e.ChadH259of my brethrenמֵאַחַ֛יme.'a.ChaiH251,cameוַיָּבֹ֨אvai.ya.Vo'H935, he and certainmenוַאֲנָשִׁ֖יםva.'a.na.ShimH582of Judahמִֽיהוּדָ֑הmi.hu.DahH3063;and I askedוָאֶשְׁאָלֵ֞םva.'esh.'a.LemH7592them concerning the Jewsהַיְּהוּדִ֧יםhai.ye.hu.DimH3064that had escapedהַפְּלֵיטָ֛הha.pe.lei.TahH6413,which were leftנִשְׁאֲר֥וּnish.'a.RuH7604of the captivityהַשֶּׁ֖בִיha.She.viH7628,and concerning Jerusalemיְרוּשָׁלִָֽם׃ye.ru.sha.LimH3389.

3And they saidוַיֹּאמְרוּ֮vai.yo.me.RuH559unto me, The remnantהַֽנִּשְׁאָרִ֞יםha.nish.'a.RimH7604that are leftנִשְׁאֲר֤וּnish.'a.RuH7604of the captivityהַשְּׁבִי֙ha.she.ViH7628there in the provinceבַּמְּדִינָ֔הba.me.di.NahH4082arein greatגְדֹלָ֖הge.do.LahH1419afflictionבְּרָעָ֥הbe.ra.'AhH7451and reproachוּבְחֶרְפָּ֑הu.ve.cher.PahH2781:the wallוְחוֹמַ֤תve.cho.MatH2346of Jerusalemיְרוּשָׁלִַ֙ם֙ye.ru.sha.LimH3389also isbroken downמְפֹרָ֔צֶתme.fo.Ra.tzetH6555,and the gatesוּשְׁעָרֶ֖יהָu.she.'a.Rei.haH8179thereof are burnedנִצְּת֥וּni.tze.TuH3341with fireבָאֵֽשׁ׃va.'EshH784.

4And it came to pass, when I heardכְּשָׁמְעִ֣י׀ke.sha.me.'IH8085these wordsהַדְּבָרִ֣יםha.de.va.RimH1697,that I sat downיָשַׁ֙בְתִּי֙ya.Shav.tiH3427and weptוָֽאֶבְכֶּ֔הva.'ev.KehH1058,and mournedוָאֶתְאַבְּלָ֖הva.'et.'a.be.LahH56certaindaysיָמִ֑יםya.MimH3117,and fastedצָם֙tzamH6684,and prayedוּמִתְפַּלֵּ֔לu.mit.pa.LelH6419beforeלִפְנֵ֖יlif.NeiH6440the Godאֱלֹהֵ֥י'e.lo.HeiH430of heavenהַשָּׁמָֽיִם׃ha.sha.Ma.yimH8064,

5And saidוָאֹמַ֗רva.'o.MarH559,I beseechאָֽנָּ֤א'a.Na'H577thee, O Yhwhיְהוָה֙Yah.wehH3068Godאֱלֹהֵ֣י'e.lo.HeiH430of heavenהַשָּׁמַ֔יִםha.sha.Ma.yimH8064,the greatהַגָּד֖וֹלha.ga.DolH1419and terribleוְהַנּוֹרָ֑אve.ha.no.Ra'H3372Godהָאֵ֥לha.'ElH410,that keepethשֹׁמֵ֤רsho.MerH8104covenantהַבְּרִית֙ha.be.RitH1285and mercyוָחֶ֔סֶדva.Che.sedH2617for them that loveלְאֹהֲבָ֖יוle.'o.ha.VavH157him and observeוּלְשֹׁמְרֵ֥יu.le.sho.me.ReiH8104his commandmentsמִצְוֹתָֽיו׃mitz.vo.TavH4687:

6Let thine earאָזְנְךָֽ־'a.ze.ne.kha-H241now be attentiveקַשֶּׁ֣בֶתka.She.vetH7183,and thine eyesוְֽעֵינֶ֪יךָve.'ei.Nei.khaH5869openפְתֻוּח֟וֹתfe.tu.v.ChotH6605,that thou mayest hearלִשְׁמֹ֣עַlish.Mo.a'H8085the prayerתְּפִלַּ֣תte.fi.LatH8605of thy servantעַבְדְּךָ֡'av.de.KhaH5650,which I prayמִתְפַּלֵּ֨לmit.pa.LelH6419beforeלְפָנֶ֤יךָle.fa.Nei.khaH6440thee nowהַיּוֹם֙hai.yOmH3117,dayיוֹמָ֣םyo.MamH3119and nightוָלַ֔יְלָהva.Lay.lahH3915,for the childrenבְּנֵ֥יbe.NeiH1121of Israelיִשְׂרָאֵ֖לYis.ra.'ElH3478thy servantsעֲבָדֶ֑יךָ'a.va.Dei.khaH5650,and confessוּמִתְוַדֶּ֗הu.mit.va.DehH3034the sinsחַטֹּ֤אותcha.TotH2403of the childrenבְּנֵֽי־be.nei-H1121of Israelיִשְׂרָאֵל֙Yis.ra.'ElH3478,which we have sinnedחָטָ֣אנוּcha.Ta.nuH2398against thee: both I and my father’sאָבִ֖י'a.ViH1houseוּבֵית־u.veit-H1004have sinnedחָטָֽאנוּ׃cha.Ta.nuH2398.

7We have dealt veryחֲבֹ֖לcha.VolH2254corruptlyחָבַ֣לְנוּcha.Val.nuH2254against thee, and have not keptשָׁמַ֣רְנוּsha.Mar.nuH8104the commandmentsהַמִּצְוֹ֗תha.mitz.VotH4687,nor the statutesהַֽחֻקִּים֙ha.chu.KimH2706,nor the judgmentsהַמִּשְׁפָּטִ֔יםha.mish.pa.TimH4941,which thou commandedstצִוִּ֖יתָtzi.Vi.taH6680thy servantעַבְדֶּֽךָ׃'av.De.khaH5650Mosesמֹשֶׁ֥הmo.ShehH4872.

8Rememberזְכָר־ze.khor-H2142,I beseech thee, the wordהַדָּבָ֔רha.da.VarH1697that thou commandedstצִוִּ֛יתָtzi.Vi.taH6680thy servantעַבְדְּךָ֖'av.de.KhaH5650Mosesמֹשֶׁ֥הmo.ShehH4872,sayingלֵאמֹ֑רle.MorH559, Ifye transgressתִּמְעָ֔לוּtim.'A.luH4603,I will scatter you abroadאָפִ֥יץ'a.FitzH6327among the nationsבָּעַמִּֽים׃ba.'a.MimH5971:

9But ifye turnוְשַׁבְתֶּ֣םve.shav.TemH7725unto me, and keepוּשְׁמַרְתֶּם֙u.she.mar.TemH8104my commandmentsמִצְוֹתַ֔יmitz.vo.TaiH4687,and doוַעֲשִׂיתֶ֖םva.'a.si.TemH6213them; though there were of you cast outנִֽדַּחֲכֶ֜םni.da.cha.KhemH5080unto the uttermost partבִּקְצֵ֤הbik.TzehH7097of the heavenהַשָּׁמַ֙יִם֙ha.sha.Ma.yimH8064, yetwill I gatherאֲקַבְּצֵ֔ם'a.ka.be.TzemH6908them from thence, and will bringוַהֲבִֽיאוֹתִים֙va.ha.vo.'o.timH935them unto the placeהַמָּק֔וֹםha.ma.KomH4725that I have chosenבָּחַ֔רְתִּיba.Char.tiH977to setלְשַׁכֵּ֥ןle.sha.KenH7931my nameשְׁמִ֖יshe.MiH8034there.

10Now these arethy servantsעֲבָדֶ֖יךָ'a.va.Dei.khaH5650and thy peopleוְעַמֶּ֑ךָve.'a.Me.khaH5971,whom thou hast redeemedפָּדִ֙יתָ֙pa.Di.taH6299by thy greatהַגָּד֔וֹלha.ga.DolH1419powerבְּכֹחֲךָ֣be.kho.cha.KhaH3581,and by thy strongהַחֲזָקָֽה׃ha.cha.za.KahH2389handוּבְיָדְךָ֖u.ve.ya.de.KhaH3027.

11O Lordאֲדֹנָ֗י'a.do.NaiH136,I beseechאָנָּ֣א'a.Na'H577thee, let now thine earאָזְנְךָֽ־'a.ze.ne.kha-H241be attentiveקַ֠שֶּׁבֶתKa.she.vetH7183to the prayerתְּפִלַּ֨תte.fi.LatH8605of thy servantעַבְדְּךָ֜'av.de.KhaH5650,and to the prayerתְּפִלַּ֣תte.fi.LatH8605of thy servantsעֲבָדֶ֗יךָ'a.va.Dei.khaH5650,who desireהַֽחֲפֵצִים֙ha.cha.fe.TzimH2655to fearלְיִרְאָ֣הle.yir.'AhH3372thy nameשְׁמֶ֔ךָshe.Me.khaH8034:and prosperוְהַצְלִֽיחָה־ve.hatz.li.chah-H6743,I pray thee, thy servantלְעַבְדְּךָ֙le.'av.de.KhaH5650this dayהַיּ֔וֹםhai.YomH3117,and grantוּתְנֵ֣הוּu.te.Ne.huH5414him mercyלְרַחֲמִ֔יםle.ra.cha.MimH7356in the sightלִפְנֵ֖יlif.NeiH6440of this manהָאִ֣ישׁha.'IshH376.For I was the king’sלַמֶּֽלֶךְ׃ פla.Me.lekhH4428cupbearerH8248.

Commentaries on Nehemiah 1