Nehemiah 1:6

6 ¹let Your ear now be attentive and Your eyes open to hear the prayer of Your servant which I am praying before You now, day and night, on behalf of the sons of Israel Your servants, ²confessing the sins of the sons of Israel which we have sinned against You; ³I and my father's house have sinned.

Nehemiah 1:6 Meaning and Commentary

Nehemiah 1:6

Let thine ear be now attentive
To his prayer, as in ( Nehemiah 1:11 ) ,

and thine eyes open;
to behold with pity and compassion the distressed case of Jerusalem, and the Jews in it:

I pray before thee now, day and night, for the children of Israel thy
servants;
this he had continued to do ever since he heard of their trouble and calamity:

and confess the sins of the children of Israel, which we have sinned
against thee: both I and my father's house have sinned;
he considered sin as the cause of all this evil that had befallen his people, and confesses it with sorrow and humiliation, and not their sins only, but his own personal and family sins.

Nehemiah 1:6 In-Context

4 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.

5 I said, "I beseech You, O LORD God of heaven, the great and awesome God, who preserves the covenant and lovingkindness for those who love Him and keep His commandments,

6 let Your ear now be attentive and Your eyes open to hear the prayer of Your servant which I am praying before You now, day and night, on behalf of the sons of Israel Your servants, confessing the sins of the sons of Israel which we have sinned against You; I and my father's house have sinned.

7 "We have acted very corruptly against You and have not kept the commandments, nor the statutes, nor the ordinances which You commanded Your servant Moses.

8 "Remember the word which You commanded Your servant Moses, saying, 'If you are unfaithful I will scatter you among the peoples;

Cross References

• 1. Daniel 9:17
• 2. Ezra 10:1; Daniel 9:20
• 3. 2 Chronicles 29:6