[1] Now when these things were done, the princes drew near to me, saying,
The people of Israel, and the priests and the Levites, have not separated
themselves from the peoples 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.
[2] For they have taken of their daughters for themselves and for their
sons, so that the holy seed have mingled themselves with the peoples of the
lands: yes, the hand of the princes and rulers has been chief in this
trespass. [3] When I heard this thing, I tore my garment and my robe, and
plucked off the hair of my head and of my beard, and sat down confounded.
[4] Then were assembled to me everyone who trembled at the words of the God
of Israel, because of the trespass of them of the captivity; and I sat
confounded until the evening offering. [5] At the evening offering I arose
up from my humiliation, even with my garment and my robe torn; and I fell
on my knees, and spread out my hands to Yahweh my God; [6] and I said, my
God, I am ashamed and blush to lift up my face to you, my God; for our
iniquities are increased over our head, and our guiltiness is grown up to
the heavens. [7] Since the days of our fathers we have been exceeding
guilty to 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 plunder, and to confusion of face, as it is
this day. [8] Now for a little moment grace has been showed from Yahweh 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. [9] For we are bondservants; yet our God has not forsaken us
in our bondage, but has extended lovingkindness to 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 ruins of it, and to give us a wall in Judah and in Jerusalem.
[10] Now, our God, what shall we say after this? for we have forsaken your
commandments, [11] which you have commanded by your servants the prophets,
saying, The land, to which you go to possess it, is an unclean land through
the uncleanness of the peoples of the lands, through their abominations,
which have filled it from one end to another with their filthiness: [12]
now therefore don`t give your daughters to their sons, neither take their
daughters to your sons, nor seek their peace or their prosperity forever;
that you may be strong, and eat the good of the land, and leave it for an
inheritance to your children forever. [13] After all that is come on us for
our evil deeds, and for our great guilt, seeing that you our God have
punished us less than our iniquities deserve, and have given us such a
remnant, [14] shall we again break your commandments, and join in affinity
with the peoples that do these abominations? would not you be angry with us
until you had consumed us, so that there should be no remnant, nor any to
escape? [15] Yahweh, the God of Israel, you are righteous; for we are left
a remnant that is escaped, as it is this day: behold, we are before you in
our guiltiness; for none can stand before you because of this.
