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Chapter 1 records Nehemiah's position in the court of the Persian King. He was the King's cupbearer which meant that the King trusted him with his life as they were often poisoned by what they drank. The question was, why would a "man of God" be working for the King of Persia? This, like Moses who was raised in Pharaohs court and David, who was raised in Saul's court, made him better qualified and in a better position to aid his country Israel.
It was in December in the twentieth year of the reign of King Artaxerxes of Persia that some Jews from home, one by the name of Hanani, came to see Nehemiah and he inquired how things were coming along in Judah. They told him that things were not doing well and that the walls were still torn down and the gates were all burned. This grieved him very much and he wept and mourned and fasted and prayed for several days.
Nehemiah prayed to the Lord to remember His words to Moses, His promise to bring the Jews back to Jerusalem for it was the place that the Lord had chosen to live. Then he asked the Lord to put into the heart of the King a granting spirit as he went to ask the King for a great favor.
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