1 The words of ^aNehemiah the son of Hachaliah. It came to pass in the month of Chislev, in the ^btwentieth year, as I was in ^cShushan the citadel,  ‡

2 that ^aHanani one of my brethren came with men from Judah; and I asked them concerning the Jews who had escaped, who had survived the captivity, and concerning Jerusalem.  ‡

6 please let Your ear be attentive and ^aYour eyes open, that You may hear the prayer of Your servant which I pray before You now, day and night, for the children of Israel Your servants, and ^bconfess the sins of the children of Israel which we have sinned against You. Both my father’s house and I have sinned.  ‡

7 ^aWe have acted very corruptly against You, and have ^bnot kept the commandments, the statutes, nor the ordinances which You commanded Your servant Moses.  ‡