How did Nehemias respond to the report about Jerusalem?

Atlas of Saints · Chapter summary

He mourned, fasted and prayed, confessing his own and Israel’s sins, recalling the promises given to Moses, and seeking direction and mercy before the king.

Chapter breakdown

In the month of Casleu, in the twentieth year of the Persian king, Nehemias the son of Helchias was residing in the castle of Susa. His brother Hanani arrived from Judea with several men of Juda. Nehemias questioned them about the condition of the surviving Jews who remained from the Babylonian captivity, as well as the state of Jerusalem.

The visitors reported that the survivors in the province lived in great affliction and reproach. They explained that the defensive wall of Jerusalem lay broken down, and its gates remained consumed by fire. Upon receiving this distressing news, Nehemias sat down, wept, and mourned for many days, observing fasts and offering prayers before the God of heaven.

In his prayer, Nehemias addressed the Lord God of heaven as strong, great, and terrible, who keeps His covenant and mercy with those who love Him and obey His commandments. He begged that God's ears be attentive and His eyes open to hear the intercession he offered day and night for the children of Israel. Confessing that he himself, his father's house, and the nation had sinned against God, Nehemias acknowledged that they had followed vanity and failed to keep the commandments, ceremonies, and judgments commanded through Moses.

Nehemias recalled the conditional promise delivered to Moses: while transgression would result in the people being scattered among the nations, returning to God and obeying His commandments would cause Him to gather them from the farthest parts of the world and bring them back to the dwelling place chosen for His name. Pointing to the people as God's redeemed servants, Nehemias asked the Lord to hear his plea and the prayers of all who desire to fear His name, asking God to guide him and grant him mercy in the sight of the Persian monarch, for Nehemias served as the king's cupbearer.

The story inside

In Casleu of the twentieth year, Nehemias was at Susa. Hanani and men of Juda reported affliction, reproach, broken walls and burned gates. Nehemias mourned for many days and prayed to the God of heaven. He confessed Israel’s sins, including his own and his father’s house, and failure to keep the commands given through Moses. He recalled scattering for transgression and gathering upon return and obedience, calling the people God’s redeemed servants. He asked for attentive hearing, direction that day and mercy before the man he served as royal cupbearer. No royal conversation occurs in this chapter.

Lessons worth keeping

1
The report names both the people’s distress and the city’s damage.
2
Nehemias includes himself and his family in the confession.
3
The recalled promise of gathering includes returning to God and keeping His commands.

Test your recall

Why did Nehemias recall the conditions of the promise to gather the scattered people?

Source edition and notes

Douay–Rheims, revised by Richard Challoner (1749–1752). Project Gutenberg no. 1581. Locators refer to lines in the admitted pg1581.txt edition. Source notes may include Challoner commentary.

Lines 48987–48989
That Hanani one of my brethren came, he and some men of Juda; and I asked them concerning the Jews, that remained and were left of the captivity, and concerning Jerusalem.
Lines 48991–48994
And they said to me: They that have remained, and are left of the captivity there in the province, are in great affliction, and reproach: and the wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and the gates thereof are burnt with fire.
Lines 49014–49016
Remember the word that thou commandedst to Moses thy servant, saying: If you shall transgress, I will scatter you abroad among the nations:
Lines 49026–49029
I beseech thee, O Lord, let thy ear be attentive to the prayer of thy servant, and to the prayer of thy servants who desire to fear thy name: and direct thy servant this day, and give him mercy before this man. For I was the king’s cupbearer.