(KJV) Ezra 9¹

⥃Intermarriage with Neighboring Peoples ^{[ Nehemiah 13:23–31 ]}

[1] Now when these things were done, the princes² came to me, saying, The people of Israel, and the priests, and the Levites, have not separated³ themselves from the people of the lands, [doing] according⁴ to their abominations, [even] of the Canaanites⁵, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Jebusites, the Ammonites⁶, the Moabites⁷, the Egyptians, and the Amorites. [2] For they have taken of their⁸ daughters for themselves, and for their sons: so that the holy seed⁹ have mingled¹⁰ themselves with the people of [those] lands: yea, the hand¹¹ of the princes and rulers hath been chief in this trespass. [3] And when I heard this thing, I rent¹² my garment and my mantle, and plucked off¹³ the hair of my head and of my beard, and sat¹⁴ down astonied. [4] Then were assembled unto me every one that trembled¹⁵ at the words of the God of Israel, because of the transgression of those that had been carried away; and I sat astonied until¹⁶ the evening sacrifice.

⥃Ezra’s Prayer of Confession

[5] And at the evening sacrifice I arose up from my heaviness¹⁷; and having rent my garment and my mantle, I fell¹⁸ upon my knees, and spread¹⁹ out my hands unto the Lord my God, [6] And said, O my God, I am ashamed²⁰ and blush to lift up my face to thee, my God: for our iniquities²¹ are increased over [our] head, and our trespass²² is grown up²³ unto the heavens. [7] Since the days²⁴ of our fathers [have] we [been] in a great trespass unto this day; and for our iniquities²⁵ have we, our kings, [and] our priests, been delivered into the hand²⁶ of the kings of the lands, to the sword, to captivity, and to a spoil, and to confusion²⁷ of face, as [it is] this day²⁸. [8] And now for a little space²⁹ grace hath³⁰ been [shewed] from the Lord our God, to leave us a remnant³¹ to escape, and to give us a nail³² in his holy place³³, that our God may lighten³⁴ our eyes, and give us a little reviving³⁵ in our bondage. [9] For we [were] bondmen³⁶; yet our God³⁷ hath not forsaken us in our bondage, but hath extended mercy unto us in the sight³⁸ of the kings of Persia, to give us a reviving, to set up³⁹ the house of our God, and to repair⁴⁰ the desolations thereof, and to give us a wall⁴¹ in Judah and in Jerusalem. [10] And now, O our God, what shall we say⁴² after this? for we have forsaken thy commandments, [11] Which thou hast commanded by thy servants⁴³ the prophets, saying, The land⁴⁴, unto which ye go to possess it, is an unclean land with the filthiness⁴⁵ of the people of the lands, with their abominations, which have filled it from one end to another⁴⁶ with their uncleanness. [12] Now therefore give not⁴⁷ your daughters unto their sons, neither take their daughters unto your sons, nor seek their peace⁴⁸ or their wealth for ever: that ye may⁴⁹ be strong, and eat⁵⁰ the good of the land, and leave [it⁵¹] for an inheritance to your children for ever. [13] And after all⁵² that is come upon us for our evil deeds, and for our great trespass, seeing that thou our God hast punished⁵³ us less⁵⁴ than our iniquities [deserve], and hast given us⁵⁵ [such] deliverance as this; [14] Should we again⁵⁶ break thy commandments, and join in⁵⁷ affinity with the people of these abominations? wouldest not thou⁵⁸ be angry with us till thou hadst consumed [us], so that [there should be] no remnant⁵⁹ nor escaping? [15] O Lord God of Israel, thou [art] righteous⁶⁰: for we remain⁶¹ yet escaped, as [it is] this day: behold, we [are] before thee in our trespasses⁶²: for we cannot⁶³ stand before thee because of this.