Nehemías 1:5-11

5 Y dije: Te ruego, oh SEÑOR, Dios de los cielos, fuerte, grande, y terrible, que guardas el pacto y la misericordia a los que te aman y guardan tus mandamientos

6 esté ahora atento tu oído, y tus ojos abiertos, para oír la oración de tu siervo, que yo hago ahora delante de ti día y noche, por los hijos de Israel tus siervos; y confieso los pecados de los hijos de Israel con que hemos pecado contra ti; sí, yo y la casa de mi padre hemos pecado

7 En extremo nos hemos corrompido contra ti, y no hemos guardado los mandamientos, y estatutos y juicios, que mandaste a Moisés tu siervo

8 Acuérdate ahora de la palabra que ordenaste a Moisés tu siervo, diciendo: Si vosotros prevaricareis, yo os esparciré por los pueblos

9 mas si os volviereis a mí, y guardareis mis mandamientos, y los pusiereis por obra. Si fuere vuestro lanzamiento hasta el cabo de los cielos, de allí los juntaré; y los traeré al lugar que escogí para hacer habitar allí mi nombre

10 Ellos, pues, son tus siervos y tu pueblo, los cuales rescataste con tu gran fortaleza, y con tu mano fuerte

11 Te ruego, oh SEÑOR, esté ahora atento tu oído a la oración de tu siervo, y a la oración de tus siervos, quienes desean temer tu nombre; y ahora concede hoy buen suceso a tu siervo, y dale gracia delante de aquel varón. Porque yo era maestresala del rey

Nehemías 1:5-11 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO THE BOOK OF NEHEMIAH

This book is, by the authors of the Vulgate Latin and Arabic versions, called the "Second" Book of Ezra, it being a continuation of the same history, and was by the Jews reckoned as one book with Ezra; Kimchi on Isa 9:7, calls it Ezra, so the Talmud {a}; and it has been quoted by Christian writers under his name; see the argument of the book of Ezra; but not as if it was written by him; for it is a clear case it was written by Nehemiah, whose name it bears, as appears from Ne 1:1 and throughout Nehemiah speaks of himself under the first person; and the style also is very different from that of Ezra, being plainer and easier than his. It has always had a place in the canon of Scriptures, both with Jews and Christians; and is of use to show the fulfilment of the prophecy of Zechariah, and especially of Daniel concerning the building of the wall of Jerusalem in troublesome times; to carry on the history of the Jews, and describe the state of the church in those times, what opposition was made to it, and what enemies it had, and what must be expected when any work of God is set about; it is the last of the historical books that was written, as is thought, and contains an history of the space of about twelve years, from the twentieth of Artaxerxes to the thirty second of his reign, see \Ne 1:1 2:1 13:6\.

{a} T. Bab. Succah, fol. 37. 1. & Gloss. in ib. fol. 12. 1.

\\INTRODUCTION NEHEMIAH 1\\

This chapter relates how that Nehemiah, being at Shushan in Persia, and meeting with some Jews, inquired of the state of Jerusalem, of which having a melancholy account, he betook to mourning, fasting, and prayer, Ne 1:1-4, and his prayer is recorded, Ne 1:5-11.