# Connecting Statement: The prayer that Nehemiah begs Yahweh to listen to from Nehemiah 1:5 ends here. # the prayer of your servant Here "servant" refers to Nehemiah. This is how a person would address his superior in order to show humility and respect. # the prayer of your servants Here "servants" refers to the rest of the Israelite people who would have been praying for Yahweh to act on behalf of his people and on behalf of Jerusalem. # who delight to honor your name "who delight to honor you" # grant him mercy in the sight of this man Here "him" refers to Nehemiah, who refers to himself in the third person to express his humility before God, and "this man" refers to Artaxerxes, the king of Persia. # in the sight of this man "grant that the king will have mercy on me" # I served as cupbearer to the king This is background information about Nehemiah's role in the king's court. Your language may have a special way to mark background information.