John Gill's Bible Commentary Ver. 6. Let thine ear be now attentive , etc.] 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.
Matthew Henry Commentary
- Nehemiah's distress for the misery of Jerusalem, His prayer.
--Nehemiah was the Persian king's cup-bearer. When God has work to do he will never want instruments to do it with. Nehemiah lived at ease and in honour, but does not forget that he is an Israelite, and tha his brethren are in distress. He was ready to do them all the goo offices he could; and that he might know how best to do them kindness, he makes inquiries about them. We should inquire especiall concerning the state of the church and religion. Every Jerusalem of this side the heavenly one will have some defect, which will requir the help and services of its friends. Nehemiah's first application wa to God, that he might have the fuller confidence in his application to the king. Our best pleas in prayer are taken from the promise of God the word on which he has caused us to hope. Other means must be used but the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man avails most Communion with God will best prepare us for our dealings with men. When we have intrusted our concerns to God, the mind is set at liberty; i feels satisfaction and composure, and difficulties vanish. We know tha if the affair be hurtful, he can easily hinder it; and if it be goo for us, he can as easily forward it _________________________________________________
Original Hebrew תהי1961 נא4994 אזנך241 קשׁבת7183 ועיניך5869 פתוחות6605 לשׁמע8085 אל413 תפלת8605 עבדך5650 אשׁר834 אנכי595 מתפלל6419 לפניך6440 היום3117 יומם3119 ולילה3915 על5921 בני1121 ישׂראל3478 עבדיך5650 ומתודה3034 על5921 חטאות2403 בני1121 ישׂראל3478 אשׁר834 חטאנו2398 לך ואני589 ובית1004 אבי1 חטאנו׃2398
