Now when these things were done, the princes
came
to me, saying
, The people
of Israel
, and the priests
, and the Levites
, have not separated
themselves from the people
of the lands
, doing according to their abominations
, even of the Canaanites
, the Hittites
, the Perizzites
, the Jebusites
, the Ammonites
, the Moabites
, the Egyptians
, and the Amorites
.
For they have taken of their daughters
for themselves, and for their sons
: so that the holy
seed
have mingled
themselves with the people
of those lands
: yea, the hand
of the princes
and rulers
hath been chief
in this trespass
.
And when I heard this thing
, I rent
my garment
and my mantle
, and plucked off
the hair
of my head
and of my beard
, and sat down
astonied
.
Then were assembled unto me every one that trembled
at the words
of the God
of Israel
, because of the transgression
of those that had been carried away
; and I sat
astonied
until the evening
sacrifice
.
And at the evening sacrifice
I arose up
from my heaviness
; and having rent
my garment
and my mantle
, I fell
upon my knees
, and spread out
my hands
unto the LORD
my God
,
And said, O my God
, I am ashamed
and blush
to lift up
my face
to thee, my God
: for our iniquities
are increased
over
our head
, and our trespass
is grown up
unto the heavens
.
Since the days of our fathers
have we been in a great
trespass
unto this day
; and for our iniquities
have we, our kings
, and our priests
, been delivered
into the hand
of the kings
of the lands
, to the sword
, to captivity
, and to a spoil
, and to confusion
of face
, as it is this day
.
And now for a little space
grace
hath been shewed from the LORD
our God
, to leave
us a remnant to escape
, and to give
us a nail
in his holy
place
, that our God
may lighten
our eyes
, and give
us a little
reviving
in our bondage
.
For we were bondmen; yet our God
hath not forsaken
us in our bondage
, but hath extended
mercy
unto us in the sight
of the kings
of Persia
, to give
us a reviving
, to set up
the house
of our God
, and to repair
the desolations
thereof, and to give
us a wall
in Judah
and in Jerusalem
.
And now, O our God, what shall we say
after
this? for we have forsaken
thy commandments
,
Which thou hast commanded by
thy servants
the prophets
, saying
, The land
, unto which ye go
to possess
it, is an unclean
land
with the filthiness
of the people
of the lands
, with their abominations
, which have filled
it from one end
to another
with their uncleanness
.
Now therefore give not your daughters
unto their sons
, neither take
their daughters
unto your sons
, nor seek
their peace
or their wealth
for
ever
: that ye may be strong
, and eat
the good
of the land
, and leave it for an inheritance
to your children
for ever
.
And after all that is come
upon us for our evil
deeds
, and for our great
trespass
, seeing that thou our God
hast punished
us less
than our iniquities
deserve , and hast given
us such deliverance
as this;
Should we again break
thy commandments
, and join in affinity
with the people
of these abominations
? wouldest not thou be angry
with us till thou hadst consumed
us , so that there should be no remnant
nor escaping
?
O LORD God
of Israel
, thou art righteous
: for we remain
yet escaped
, as it is this day
: behold, we are before
thee in our trespasses
: for we cannot stand
before
thee because of this.