Nehemiah’s Prayer

1 These are the ·words [memoirs] of Nehemiah son of Hacaliah.

In the month of Kislev [^Clate autumn] in the twentieth year [^Cof the reign of King Artaxerxes I; 445 bc], I, Nehemiah, was in the ·capital city [or fortress; ^Cthe winter residence of Persian kings, separate from the city] of Susa.

⁵ Then I answered the king, “If ·you are willing [it pleases/is good to you] and if I have ·pleased you [found favor in your sight], send me to Judah, to the city ·where my ancestors are buried [of my fathers’ tombs; ^CJerusalem] so I can rebuild it.”

² I put my brother Hanani, along with Hananiah, the commander of the ·palace [fortress; citadel], ·in charge of [to administer] Jerusalem. Hananiah was ·honest [^La faithful man] and feared God more than ·most [many] people.