Bible for Life LogoBible for Life
HomeSEARCHMapBlog
  1. Home
  2. ›HEB
  3. ›Nehemiah
  4. ›Chapter 1
Bible for Life LogoBible for Life

Discover amazing scripture and community stories. Stay connected with people who share your passion for faith through our blog and studies.

© 2026 Bible for Life. All rights reserved.

The Edified Edition (EDE) © 2026. All rights reserved.

Explore

  • About Us
  • Edified Edition
  • Places of Worship
  • Bible Map
  • Downloads
  • Pilgrim Passport
  • Blog

Learn

  • Bible
  • Reading Plan
  • Hebrew
  • Greek
  • Quizzes

Support

  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Service
  • Cookie Policy
  • Site Map

Nehemiah

Chapter 1
1
Phonetic (Hebrew): dּibere֥y nechemeya֖h bּen-chakaleya֑h vayehi֤y bechoֽdeshsh-kslv kּiseleyv֙ shshena֣t 'eshseri֔ym va'ani֥y hayi֖ytiy bּeshshushsha֥n habּiyraֽh׃
Edified Edition (EDE)The words of Nehemiah son of Hakaliah: In the month of Kislev in the twentieth year, while I was in the citadel of Susa,

דִּבְרֵ֥י נְחֶמְיָ֖ה בֶּן־חֲכַלְיָ֑ה וַיְהִ֤י בְחֹֽדֶשׁ־כסלו כִּסְלֵיו֙ שְׁנַ֣ת עֶשְׂרִ֔ים וַאֲנִ֥י הָיִ֖יתִי בְּשׁוּשַׁ֥ן הַבִּירָֽה׃

2
Phonetic (Hebrew): vayּabo֨ chana֜niy 'echa֧d me'acha֛y h֥u va'anashshi֖ym miֽyhuda֑h va'eshshe'ale֞m 'al-hayּehudi֧ym hapּeleyta֛h 'ashsheֽr-nishshe'ar֥u min-hashshּe֖biy ve'al-yerushshalaiֽm׃
Edified Edition (EDE)Hanani, one of my brothers, came from Judah with some other men, and I questioned them about the Jewish remnant that had survived the exile, and also about Jerusalem.

וַיָּבֹ֨א חֲנָ֜נִי אֶחָ֧ד מֵאַחַ֛י ה֥וּא וַאֲנָשִׁ֖ים מִֽיהוּדָ֑ה וָאֶשְׁאָלֵ֞ם עַל־הַיְּהוּדִ֧ים הַפְּלֵיטָ֛ה אֲשֶֽׁר־נִשְׁאֲר֥וּ מִן־הַשֶּׁ֖בִי וְעַל־יְרוּשָׁלִָֽם׃

3
Phonetic (Hebrew): vayּo'meru֮ liy֒ haֽnּishshe'ari֞ym 'ashsheֽr-nishshe'ar֤u min-hashshּebiy֙ shsha֣m bּamּediyna֔h bּera'a֥h gedola֖h ubecherepּa֑h vechoma֤t yerushshalai֨m֙ mepora֔tzet ushshe'are֖yha nitzּet֥u ba'eֽshsh׃
Edified Edition (EDE)They said to me, "Those who survived the exile and are back in the province are in great trouble and disgrace. The wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates have been burned with fire."

וַיֹּאמְרוּ֮ לִי֒ הַֽנִּשְׁאָרִ֞ים אֲשֶֽׁר־נִשְׁאֲר֤וּ מִן־הַשְּׁבִי֙ שָׁ֣ם בַּמְּדִינָ֔ה בְּרָעָ֥ה גְדֹלָ֖ה וּבְחֶרְפָּ֑ה וְחוֹמַ֤ת יְרוּשָׁלִַ֨ם֙ מְפֹרָ֔צֶת וּשְׁעָרֶ֖יהָ נִצְּת֥וּ בָאֵֽשׁ׃

4
Phonetic (Hebrew): vayehi֞y kּeshshame'i֣y ׀ 'et-hadּebari֣ym ha'e֗lּeh yashsha֨betּiy֙ vaֽ'ebekּe֔h va'ete'abּela֖h yami֑ym vaֽ'ehi֥y tzam֙ umitepּalּe֔l lipene֖y 'elohe֥y hashshּamaֽyim׃
Edified Edition (EDE)When I heard these things, I sat down and wept. For some days I mourned and fasted and prayed before the God of heaven.

וַיְהִ֞י כְּשָׁמְעִ֣י ׀ אֶת־הַדְּבָרִ֣ים הָאֵ֗לֶּה יָשַׁ֨בְתִּי֙ וָֽאֶבְכֶּ֔ה וָאֶתְאַבְּלָ֖ה יָמִ֑ים וָֽאֱהִ֥י צָם֙ וּמִתְפַּלֵּ֔ל לִפְנֵ֖י אֱלֹהֵ֥י הַשָּׁמָֽיִם׃

5
Phonetic (Hebrew): va'oma֗r 'aֽnּa֤ yehvah֙ 'elohe֣y hashshּama֔yim ha'e֥l hagּad֖ol vehanּora֑ shshome֤r habּeriyt֙ vache֔sed le'ohaba֖yv uleshshomere֥y mitzevotaֽyv׃
Edified Edition (EDE)Then I said: "LORD, the God of heaven, the great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love with those who love him and keep his commandments,

וָאֹמַ֗ר אָֽנָּ֤א יְהוָה֙ אֱלֹהֵ֣י הַשָּׁמַ֔יִם הָאֵ֥ל הַגָּד֖וֹל וְהַנּוֹרָ֑א שֹׁמֵ֤ר הַבְּרִית֙ וָחֶ֔סֶד לְאֹהֲבָ֖יו וּלְשֹׁמְרֵ֥י מִצְוֺתָֽיו׃

6
Phonetic (Hebrew): tּehi֣y na֣ 'azenekaֽ-qashshּe֣bet veֽ'eyne֪yka petuch֟ot lishshemo֣'a 'el-tּepilּa֣t 'abedּeka֡ 'ashshe֣r 'anokiy֩ mitepּalּe֨l lepane֤yka hayּom֙ yoma֣m vala֔yelah 'al-bּene֥y yishsera'e֖l 'abade֑yka umitevadּe֗h 'al-chatּo֤'vt bּeneֽy-yishsera'el֙ 'ashshe֣r chata֣'nu la֔ke va'ani֥y ubeyt-'abi֖y chataֽ'nu׃
Edified Edition (EDE)let your ear be attentive and your eyes open to hear the prayer your servant is praying before you day and night for your servants, the people of Israel. I confess the sins we Israelites, including myself and my father’s house, have committed against you.

תְּהִ֣י נָ֣א אָזְנְךָֽ־קַשֶּׁ֣בֶת וְֽעֵינֶ֪יךָ פְתֻוּח֟וֹת לִשְׁמֹ֣עַ אֶל־תְּפִלַּ֣ת עַבְדְּךָ֡ אֲשֶׁ֣ר אָנֹכִי֩ מִתְפַּלֵּ֨ל לְפָנֶ֤יךָ הַיּוֹם֙ יוֹמָ֣ם וָלַ֔יְלָה עַל־בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל עֲבָדֶ֑יךָ וּמִתְוַדֶּ֗ה עַל־חַטֹּ֤אות בְּנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר חָטָ֣אנוּ לָ֔ךְ וַאֲנִ֥י וּבֵית־אָבִ֖י חָטָֽאנוּ׃

7
Phonetic (Hebrew): chabo֖l chaba֣lenu la֑ke velo'-shshama֣renu 'et-hamּitzevo֗t ve'et-haֽchuqּiym֙ ve'et-hamּishshepּati֔ym 'ashshe֥r tziui֖yta 'et-moshshe֥h 'abedּeֽka׃
Edified Edition (EDE)We have acted very wickedly toward you. We have not obeyed the commands, decrees and laws you gave your servant Moses.

חֲבֹ֖ל חָבַ֣לְנוּ לָ֑ךְ וְלֹא־שָׁמַ֣רְנוּ אֶת־הַמִּצְוֺ֗ת וְאֶת־הַֽחֻקִּים֙ וְאֶת־הַמִּשְׁפָּטִ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר צִוִּ֖יתָ אֶת־מֹשֶׁ֥ה עַבְדֶּֽךָ׃

8
Phonetic (Hebrew): zekar-na'֙ 'et-hadּaba֔r 'ashshe֥r tziui֛yta 'et-moshshe֥h 'abedּeka֖ le'mo֑r 'atּe֣m tּime'a֔lu 'ani֕y 'api֥ytz 'eteke֖m bּa'amּiֽym׃
Edified Edition (EDE)"Remember the instruction you gave your servant Moses, saying, 'If you are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the nations,

זְכָר־נָא֙ אֶת־הַדָּבָ֔ר אֲשֶׁ֥ר צִוִּ֛יתָ אֶת־מֹשֶׁ֥ה עַבְדְּךָ֖ לֵאמֹ֑ר אַתֶּ֣ם תִּמְעָ֔לוּ אֲנִ֕י אָפִ֥יץ אֶתְכֶ֖ם בָּעַמִּֽים׃

9
Phonetic (Hebrew): veshshabetּe֣m 'ela֔y ushshemaretּem֙ mitzevota֔y va'ashsiyte֖m 'ota֑m 'im-yiheye֨h niֽdּachake֜m bּiqetze֤h hashshּama֨yim֙ mishshּa֣m 'aqabּetze֔m vhbv'tym vahabiֽy'otiym֙ 'el-hamּaq֔om 'ashshe֣r bּacha֔retּiy leshshakּe֥n 'et-shshemi֖y shshaֽm׃
Edified Edition (EDE)but if you return to me and obey my commands, then even if your exiled people are at the farthest horizon, I will gather them from there and bring them to the place I have chosen as a dwelling for my Name.'

וְשַׁבְתֶּ֣ם אֵלַ֔י וּשְׁמַרְתֶּם֙ מִצְוֺתַ֔י וַעֲשִׂיתֶ֖ם אֹתָ֑ם אִם־יִהְיֶ֨ה נִֽדַּחֲכֶ֜ם בִּקְצֵ֤ה הַשָּׁמַ֨יִם֙ מִשָּׁ֣ם אֲקַבְּצֵ֔ם והבואתים וַהֲבִֽיאוֹתִים֙ אֶל־הַמָּק֔וֹם אֲשֶׁ֣ר בָּחַ֔רְתִּי לְשַׁכֵּ֥ן אֶת־שְׁמִ֖י שָֽׁם׃

10
Phonetic (Hebrew): vehe֥m 'abade֖yka ve'amּe֑ka 'ashshe֤r pּadi֨yta֙ bּekochaka֣ hagּad֔ol ubeyadeka֖ hachazaqaֽh׃
Edified Edition (EDE)"They are your servants and your people, whom you redeemed by your great strength and your mighty hand.

וְהֵ֥ם עֲבָדֶ֖יךָ וְעַמֶּ֑ךָ אֲשֶׁ֤ר פָּדִ֨יתָ֙ בְּכֹחֲךָ֣ הַגָּד֔וֹל וּבְיָדְךָ֖ הַחֲזָקָֽה׃

11
Phonetic (Hebrew): anּa֣ 'adona֗y tּehi֣y na֣ 'azenekaֽ-qa֠shshּebet 'el-tּepilּa֨t 'abedּeka֜ ve'el-tּepilּa֣t 'abade֗yka haֽchapetziym֙ leyire'a֣h 'et-shsheme֔ka vehatzeliֽychah-nּa֤ le'abedּeka֙ hayּ֔om utene֣hu lerachami֔ym lipene֖y ha'i֣yshsh hazּe֑h va'ani֛y hayi֥ytiy mashsheqe֖h lamּeֽleke׃p
Edified Edition (EDE)Lord, let your ear be attentive to the prayer of this your servant and to the prayer of your servants who delight in revering your name. Give your servant success today by granting him favour in the presence of this man." I was cupbearer to the king.

אָנָּ֣א אֲדֹנָ֗י תְּהִ֣י נָ֣א אָזְנְךָֽ־קַ֠שֶּׁבֶת אֶל־תְּפִלַּ֨ת עַבְדְּךָ֜ וְאֶל־תְּפִלַּ֣ת עֲבָדֶ֗יךָ הַֽחֲפֵצִים֙ לְיִרְאָ֣ה אֶת־שְׁמֶ֔ךָ וְהַצְלִֽיחָה־נָּ֤א לְעַבְדְּךָ֙ הַיּ֔וֹם וּתְנֵ֣הוּ לְרַחֲמִ֔ים לִפְנֵ֖י הָאִ֣ישׁ הַזֶּ֑ה וַאֲנִ֛י הָיִ֥יתִי מַשְׁקֶ֖ה לַמֶּֽלֶךְ׃פ