Ezra 9

The Holy Offspring Has Mixed with the Peoples

1After these things had been completed, the officials approached me and said, “The people of Israel, the priests, and the Levites have not separated themselves from the peoples of the lands and their detestable practices—from the Canaanites, Hittites, Perizzites, Jebusites, Ammonites, Moabites, Egyptians, and Amorites. 2For they have taken some of their daughters for themselves and for their sons, so that the holy offspring has mixed itself with the peoples of the lands. Indeed, the hand of the officials and leaders has been foremost in this unfaithfulness.”

Ezra Sits Appalled

3When I heard this matter, I tore my garment and my robe, pulled hair from my head and beard, and sat appalled. 4Then everyone who trembled at the words of the God of Israel gathered around me because of the unfaithfulness of the returned exiles, while I sat appalled until the evening offering.

Ezra’s Prayer

5At the evening offering I arose from my humiliation, with my garment and robe torn, and I fell on my knees and spread out my hands to the LORD my God. 6I said:

“My God, I am ashamed and humiliated to lift my face to you, my God, for our guilt has risen above our heads, and our offense has grown as high as the heavens. 7From the days of our ancestors until this day we have been in great guilt. Because of our guilt, we, our kings, and our priests have been given into the hand of the kings of the lands, to sword, captivity, plunder, and shame of face, as it is this day. 8But now, for a brief moment, favor has come from the LORD our God, leaving us a remnant that has escaped and giving us a stake in his holy place, so that our God may brighten our eyes and give us a little reviving in our servitude. 9For we are servants, yet in our servitude our God has not abandoned us. He has extended steadfast love to us before the kings of Persia, to give us reviving, to raise up the house of our God and restore its ruins, and to give us a wall of protection in Judah and Jerusalem.

We Have Abandoned Your Commandments

10“And now, our God, what shall we say after this? For we have abandoned your commandments, 11which you commanded by the hand of your servants the prophets, saying, ‘The land that you are entering to possess is an unclean land because of the uncleanness of the peoples of the lands, because of their detestable practices with which they have filled it from end to end in their impurity. 12Therefore do not give your daughters to their sons, and do not take their daughters for your sons. Never seek their peace or their prosperity, so that you may be strong and eat the good of the land and leave it as an inheritance to your children forever.’

We Stand before You in Our Guilt

13“After all that has come upon us because of our evil deeds and our great guilt—though you, our God, have held back punishment beneath what our guilt deserved and have given us such a remnant as this— 14shall we again break your commandments and join ourselves with peoples who practice these detestable things? Would you not be angry with us until you consumed us, leaving no remnant or survivor? 15O LORD, God of Israel, you are righteous, for we remain as a remnant that has escaped, as it is this day. Look, we are before you in our guilt, for no one can stand before you because of this.”