Nehemiah 1:11

O Lord, I beseech thee, let now thine ear be attentive to the prayer of thy servant, and to the prayer of thy servants, who desire to fear thy name: and prosper, I pray thee, thy servant this day, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man. For I was the king's cupbearer.

O Lord {H136}, I beseech {H577} thee, let now thine ear {H241} be attentive {H7183} to the prayer {H8605} of thy servant {H5650}, and to the prayer {H8605} of thy servants {H5650}, who desire {H2655} to fear {H3372} thy name {H8034}: and prosper {H6743}, I pray thee, thy servant {H5650} this day {H3117}, and grant {H5414} him mercy {H7356} in the sight {H6440} of this man {H376}. For I was the king's {H4428} cupbearer {H8248}.

Adonai, please, let your ear now be attentive to the prayer of your servant and to the prayer of your servants who take joy in fearing your name: please let your servant succeed today and win this man's compassion"- for I was the king's personal attendant.

O Lord, may Your ear be attentive to my prayer and to the prayers of Your servants who delight to revere Your name. Give Your servant success this day, I pray, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man.โ€ (At that time I was the cupbearer to the king.)

O Lord, I beseech thee, let now thine ear be attentive to the prayer of thy servant, and to the prayer of thy servants, who delight to fear thy name; and prosper, I pray thee, thy servant this day, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man. Now I was cupbearer to the king.

Commentary

Nehemiah 1:11 is a pivotal verse in Nehemiah's heartfelt prayer, marking a transition from his general intercession for Israel to a specific plea for divine favor as he prepares to approach King Artaxerxes. This prayer highlights Nehemiah's deep reliance on God for the monumental task of rebuilding Jerusalem.

Context

This verse is part of Nehemiah's extended prayer after he receives devastating news about the state of Jerusalem's walls and gates being broken down, leaving the returned exiles vulnerable and shamed. Nehemiah, serving as the trusted cupbearer to King Artaxerxes I of Persia, is deeply distressed by this report (Nehemiah 1:4). His position as cupbearer was one of immense trust and proximity to the king, making him an ideal candidate to intercede for his people. This prayer is not a spontaneous utterance but a carefully considered and fervent petition, demonstrating his preparation for the challenging mission ahead.

Key Themes

  • Earnest and Specific Prayer: Nehemiah's prayer is marked by urgency ("I beseech thee," "let now thine ear be attentive") and moves from general confession to a very specific request for divine assistance for his immediate task. He prays for himself ("thy servant") and for the collective faithful ("thy servants").
  • Desire to Fear God's Name: The phrase "who desire to fear thy name" indicates a profound reverence and obedience to God. It's not merely being afraid of God, but holding His character, commands, and reputation in the highest esteem. This desire is presented as a foundational characteristic of those whose prayers God hears.
  • Seeking Divine Favor: Nehemiah understands that human authority, even that of a powerful king, is ultimately under God's control. He explicitly asks God to "prosper... thy servant this day, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man" (King Artaxerxes). This reflects a belief that God can incline the hearts of rulers, as seen in Proverbs 21:1.
  • God's Providence in Position: Nehemiah's closing statement, "For I was the king's cupbearer," is not an afterthought but a crucial piece of context. It highlights his unique position of influence and access, which he recognizes as God-given for a specific purpose. He trusts that God will use his strategic role to bring about His will for Jerusalem.

Linguistic Insights

The Hebrew word for "beseech" (ืึธื ึผึธื - 'anna') conveys a strong, earnest plea, highlighting the intensity of Nehemiah's prayer. The phrase "fear thy name" (ื™ึดืจึฐืึตื™ ืฉืึฐืžึถืšึธ - yire'ei shemecha) emphasizes a reverential awe and obedient respect for God's revealed character and authority, rather than simple terror. This concept is central to wisdom literature, as found in Proverbs 1:7, where the fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge.

Practical Application

Nehemiah 1:11 offers timeless lessons for believers today. It teaches us the importance of specific, fervent prayer when facing daunting tasks, especially when they involve interacting with influential people or navigating complex situations. Like Nehemiah, we should pray not only for ourselves but also for the wider community of believers who desire to honor God. Furthermore, it reminds us that God can use our current positions, no matter how secular they seem, as strategic platforms for His purposes. We are called to seek God's favor and trust His providence in every endeavor, just as Nehemiah did when he later offered a quick prayer before the king before making his request.

Note: If the commentary doesnโ€™t appear instantly, please allow 2โ€“5 seconds for it to load. It is generated by Gemini 2.5 Flash using a prompt focused on Biblical fidelity over bias. While the insights have been consistently reliable, we encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit.

Please note that only the commentary section is AI-generated โ€” the main Scripture and cross-references are stored on the site and are from trusted and verified sources.

Cross-References

  • Nehemiah 1:6

    Let 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.

  • Nehemiah 2:8

    And a letter unto Asaph the keeper of the king's forest, that he may give me timber to make beams for the gates of the palace which [appertained] to the house, and for the wall of the city, and for the house that I shall enter into. And the king granted me, according to the good hand of my God upon me.

  • Nehemiah 2:1

    ยถ And it came to pass in the month Nisan, in the twentieth year of Artaxerxes the king, [that] wine [was] before him: and I took up the wine, and gave [it] unto the king. Now I had not been [beforetime] sad in his presence.

  • Hebrews 13:18

    ยถ Pray for us: for we trust we have a good conscience, in all things willing to live honestly.

  • Proverbs 21:1

    ยถ The king's heart [is] in the hand of the LORD, [as] the rivers of water: he turneth it whithersoever he will.

  • Psalms 130:2

    Lord, hear my voice: let thine ears be attentive to the voice of my supplications.

  • Ezra 7:6

    This Ezra went up from Babylon; and he [was] a ready scribe in the law of Moses, which the LORD God of Israel had given: and the king granted him all his request, according to the hand of the LORD his God upon him.
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