Nehemiah is hanging out in a city called Susa, when his brother Hanani comes to visit. Nehemiah asks him about how Israel is doing over there since the exiles have returned. It's been twenty years, so Nehemiah probably had his hopes that things were starting to pick up with that first generation.
But it is regretfully not good news. Hanani tells Nehemiah that the city wall is in ruins and the gates have been "burned with fire." As opposed to sulfuric acid. This news sent Nehemiah into a period of mourning and fasting. He was sad about the gate and seems to have instantly connected it to Israel's sin. Maybe he prophetically knew about Israel's sin. Maybe he knew Israel's history and their propensity to sin. Maybe Hanani told him about the intermarriage fiasco. Either way, Nehemiah drops to his knees and prays.
His prayer begins by reminding God who He is. Not as though God would have forgotten, but the words there are a confession of who God is, as much for Nehemiah as it is for God. "I know who you are, God, and what you've said." That type of thing. Nehemiah then confesses for himself (which I think is important) and Israel. Nehemiah includes himself among those who need to make confession for sins. Nehemiah wasn't over there intermarrying, but I suppose this is a generalized confession for the times he has personally missed the mark. Prophets are not without sin.
Nehemiah then invokes God's covenant with Moses. "You said if we do this, then you'll do this. You said if we do that, then you'll do that." God's covenant still lasts to Nehemiah's present day.
Nehemiah is going to go before the king, Artaxerxes, and presumably ask for help. I think this is the "success" Nehemiah is asking for. Probably that things go well with the king, but also that things will go well in Israel. Being a cupbearer, Nehemiah would be used to interaction with the king, and would be able to have the king's ear.
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