Now when these things
had been completed
, the princes
approached
me, saying
, "The people
of Israel
and the priests
and the Levites
have not aseparated
themselves from the peoples
of the lands
, baccording to their abominations
, those of the Canaanites
, the Hittites
, the Perizzites
, the Jebusites
, the Ammonites
, the Moabites
, the Egyptians
and the Amorites
.
"For athey have taken some
of their daughters
as wives for themselves and for their sons
, so that bthe holy
1race
has cintermingled
with the peoples
of the lands
; indeed, the hands
of the princes
and the rulers
have been
foremost
in this
unfaithfulness
."
When I heard about this
matter
, I atore
my garment
and my robe
, and pulled
some
of the hair
from my head
and my beard
, and bsat
down
appalled
.
Then aeveryone who trembled
at the words
of the God
of Israel
on account
of the unfaithfulness
of the exiles
gathered
to me, and I sat
appalled
until
bthe evening
offering
.
But at the evening offering
I arose
from my 1humiliation
, even with my garment
and my robe
torn
, and I fell
on my knees
and astretched
out my 2hands
to the LORD
my God
;
and I said, "O my God
, I am ashamed
and embarrassed
to lift
up my face
to You, my God
, for our iniquities
have 1risen
above
our heads
and our aguilt
has grown
even
to the heavens
.
" aSince the days
of our fathers
to this
day
we have been in great
guilt
, and on account of our iniquities
we, our kings
and our priests
have been given
into the hand
of the kings
of the lands
, to the sword
, to captivity
and to plunder
and to 1 bopen
shame
, as it is this
day
.
"But now for a brief
moment
grace
has been
shown from the LORD
our God
, ato leave
us an escaped
remnant
and to give
us a bpeg
in His holy
place
, that our God
may cenlighten
our eyes
and grant
us a little
reviving
in our bondage
.
" aFor we are slaves; yet in our bondage
our God
has not forsaken
us, but bhas extended
lovingkindness
to us in the sight
of the kings
of Persia
, to give
us reviving
to raise
up the house
of our God
, to restore
its ruins
and to give
us a wall
in Judah
and Jerusalem
.
"Now, our God
, what
shall we say
after
this
? For we have forsaken
Your commandments
,
which You have commanded
by Your servants
the prophets
, saying
, `The land
which
you are entering
to possess
is an unclean
land
with the uncleanness
of the peoples
of the lands
, with their abominations
which
have filled
it from end
to end
and awith their impurity
.
`So now do not agive
your daughters
to their sons
nor
take
their daughters
to your sons
, and bnever
seek
their peace
or their prosperity
, that you may be strong
and eat
the good
things of the land
and cleave
it as an inheritance
to your sons
forever
.'
"After all
that has come
upon us for our evil
deeds
and aour great
guilt
, since
You our God
have requited
us less
than
our iniquities
deserve, and have given
us ban escaped
remnant
as this
,
ashall we again break
Your commandments
and intermarry
with the peoples
1who commit these
abominations
? bWould You not be angry
with us 2to the point
of destruction
, until
there
is no
remnant
nor
any who escape
?
"O LORD God
of Israel
, aYou are righteous
, for we have been left
an escaped
remnant
, as it is this
day
; behold
, we are before
You in bour guilt
, for cno
one
can stand
before
You because
of this
."