Nehemiah 1:4 - Forerunner Commentary

Nehemiah 1:4

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.

3 And they said to me, “The survivors who are left from the captivity in the ^aprovince are there in great distress and ^breproach. ^cThe wall of Jerusalem ^dis also broken down, and its gates are burned with fire.”

4 So it was, when I heard these words, that I sat down and wept, and mourned for many days; I was fasting and praying before the God of heaven.

5 And I said: “I pray, ^aLord God of heaven, O great and ^bawesome God, ^cYou who keep Your covenant and mercy with those who love¹ You and observe Your commandments,

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.

8 Remember, I pray, the word that You commanded Your servant Moses, saying, ^a‘If you are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the nations;

9 ^abut if you return to Me, and keep My commandments and do them, ^bthough some of you were cast out to the farthest part of the heavens, yet I will gather them from there, and bring them to the place which I have chosen as a dwelling for My name.’

10 ^aNow these are Your servants and Your people, whom You have redeemed by Your great power, and by Your strong hand.

11 O Lord, I pray, please ^alet Your ear be attentive to the prayer of Your servant, and to the prayer of Your servants who ^bdesire to fear Your name; and let Your servant prosper this day, I pray, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man.” For I was the king’s ^ccupbearer.

Verse Comparison: Nehemiah 1:4

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Nehemiah 1:5 >>

American Standard Version
And it came to pass, when I heard these words, that I sat down and wept, and mourned certain days; and I fasted and prayed before the God of heaven,

Amplified® Bible
When I heard this, I sat down and wept and mourned for days and fasted and prayed [constantly] before the God of heaven,

Contemporary English Version
When I heard this, I sat down and cried. Then for several days, I mourned; I went without eating to show my sorrow, and I prayed:

Darby English Version
And it came to pass, when I heard these words, that I sat and wept, and mourned for days, and fasted, and prayed before the God of the heavens,

Good News Bible
When I heard all this, I sat down and wept. For several days I mourned and did not eat. I prayed to God,

King James Version
And it came to pass, when I heard these words, that I sat down and wept, and mourned certain days, and fasted, and prayed before the God of heaven,

New American Standard Bible
When I heard these words, I sat down and wept and mourned for days; and I was fasting and praying before the God of heaven.

New International Version
When I heard these things, I sat down and wept. For some days I mourned and fasted and prayed before the God of heaven.

New King James Version
So it was, when I heard these words, that I sat down and wept, and mourned for many days; I was fasting and praying before the God of heaven.

N.A.S.B. in E-Prime
When I heard these words, I sat down and wept and mourned for days; and I fasted and prayed before the God of heaven.

Revised Standard Version
When I heard these words I sat down and wept, and mourned for days; and I continued fasting and praying before the God of heaven.

Young's Literal Translation
And it cometh to pass, at my hearing these words, I have sat down, and I weep and mourn `for' days, and I am fasting and praying before the God of the heavens.

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