Nehemiah 1:6
What does Nehemiah 1:6 mean?
A plain-English look at Nehemiah 1:6 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.
What Nehemiah 1:6 means
Nehemiah pleads for God’s attention—“let thine ear… be attentive, and thine eyes open”—and shows the perseverance of his intercession: he prays “day and night.” He prays on behalf of “the children of Israel thy servants,” yet he refuses to stand apart as if innocent. He confesses “the sins of the children of Israel,” adding, “I and my father’s house have sinned.” The honesty is striking. Sin is not a distant problem; it is personal and corporate, and it is “against thee,” against God Himself. Intercession here is not accusation of others but shared repentance. By naming himself among the guilty, Nehemiah seeks mercy on true grounds, not on merit.
Parallel translations
WEB
World English Bible · 2000let thine ear now be attentive, and thine eyes open, that thou mayest hearken unto the prayer of thy servant, which I pray before thee at this time, day and night, for the children of Israel thy servants, while I confess the sins of the children of Israel, which we have sinned against thee. Yea, I and my father’s house have sinned:
KJV
King James Version · 1611Let thine ear now be attentive, and thine eyes open, that thou mayest hear the prayer of thy servant, which I pray before thee now, day and night, for the children of Israel thy servants, and confess the sins of the children of Israel, which we have sinned against thee: both I and my father’s house have sinned.
ASV
American Standard Version · 1901let thine ear now be attentive, and thine eyes open, that thou mayest hearken unto the prayer of thy servant, which I pray before thee at this time, day and night, for the children of Israel thy servants, while I confess the sins of the children of Israel, which we have sinned against thee. Yea, I and my father’s house have sinned:
BBE
Bible in Basic English · 1949Let your ear now take note and let your eyes be open, so that you may give ear to the prayer of your servant, which I make before you at this time, day and night, for the children of Israel, your servants, while I put before you the sins of the children of Israel, which we have done against you: truly, I and my father's people are sinners.
YLT
Young's Literal Translation · 1862let Thine ear be, I pray Thee, attentive, and Thine eyes open, to hearken unto the prayer of Thy servant, that I am praying before Thee to-day, by day and by night, concerning the sons of Israel Thy servants, and confessing concerning the sins of the sons of Israel, that we have sinned against Thee; yea, I and the house of my father have sinned;
DRA
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752Let thy ears be attentive, and thy eyes open, to hear the prayer of thy servant, which I pray before thee now, night and day, for the children of Israel thy servants: and I confess the sins of the children of Israel, by which they have sinned against thee: I and my father's house have sinned.
DBY
Darby Bible · 1890Let thine ear now be attentive, and thine eyes open, to hear the prayer of thy servant, which I pray before thee at this time, day and night, for the children of Israel thy servants, confessing the sins of the children of Israel, which we have sinned against thee: both I and my father's house have sinned.
Context
Following adoration, verse 6 turns to earnest petition and confession. It explains the posture of Nehemiah’s heart—unceasing prayer tied to sober acknowledgment of guilt. The next verse specifies the nature of Israel’s failure under Moses’ law. This progression matters because Nehemiah’s later appeal to covenant promises (verses 8–9) stands on the foundation of confessed sin, not denial or excuse. The reader sees that restoration begins with truthful naming of the breach.
v.5and said, I beseech thee, O Jehovah, the God of heaven, the great and terrible God, that keepeth covenant and lovingkindness with them that love him and keep his commandments:
v.6This passage
v.7we have dealt very corruptly against thee, and have not kept the commandments, nor the statutes, nor the ordinances, which thou commandedst thy servant Moses.
Cross references
Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.
- Luke 18:7
And shall not God avenge his elect, that cry to him day and night, and yet he is longsuffering over them?
- Lamentations 3:39
Wherefore doth a living man complain, a man for the punishment of his sins?
- Ephesians 2:3
among whom we also all once lived in the lusts of our flesh, doing the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest:—
- 2 Chronicles 28:10
And now ye purpose to keep under the children of Judah and Jerusalem for bondmen and bondwomen unto you: but are there not even with you trespasses of your own against Jehovah your God?
- 1 Samuel 15:11
It repenteth me that I have set up Saul to be king; for he is turned back from following me, and hath not performed my commandments. And Samuel was wroth; and he cried unto Jehovah all night.
- Psalms 55:17
Evening, and morning, and at noonday, will I complain, and moan; And he will hear my voice.
Related questions readers ask
Keep reading
Want to dig deeper? Explore Nehemiah 1
Hand-picked devotionals, topical studies, and pastoral answers that draw on Nehemiah 1.
Topics that quote it
Topic
Bible Verses About Fasting
Fasting in the Bible is a spiritual discipline involving abstinence from food for a period, often coupled with prayer and repentance.
Topic
Bible Verses About Confession of Sin
Confession of sin is an essential step in drawing near to God and receiving His forgiveness and cleansing.
What the Bible says about…