Discovery BoxNehemiah 1:10-11 
Context1:10 They are your servants and your people, whom you have redeemed by your mighty strength and by your powerful hand. 1:11 Please, 1 O Lord, listen attentively 2 to the prayer of your servant and to the prayer of your servants who take pleasure in showing respect 3 to your name. Grant your servant success today and show compassion to me 4 in the presence of this man.”
Now 5 I was cupbearer for the king.
1 tn The interjection אָנָּא (’anna’) is an emphatic term of entreaty: “please!” (BDB 58 s.v.; HALOT 69-70 s.v.). This term is normally reserved for pleas for mercy from God in life-and-death situations (2 Kgs 20:3 = Isa 38:3; Pss 116:4; 118:25; Jonah 1:14; 4:2) and for forgiveness of heinous sins that would result or have resulted in severe judgment from God (Exod 32:31; Dan 9:4; Neh 1:5, 11).
2 tn Heb “let your ear be attentive.”
3 tn Heb “fear.”
4 tn Heb “grant compassion.” The words “to me” are supplied in the translation for the sake of smoothness and style in English.
5 tn The vav (ו) on וַאֲנִי (va’ani, “Now, I”) introduces a disjunctive parenthetical clause that provides background information to the reader.
