 1 At the end of these things, the rulers came to me saying, The people of Israel, and the priests and the Levites, have not separated themselves from the people of the lands. But they are doing according to their abominations, those 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 the holy race has mixed themselves with the people of those lands. Yes, the hand of the leaders and overseers has been chief in this sin. 3 When I heard this, I tore my garment and my mantle and plucked off the hair of my head and of my beard and sat down astonished+. 4 Then everyone who trembled at the words of the God of Israel was gathered to me because of the sin of those who had been exiled. And I remained silent+ until the evening sacrifice. 5 At the evening sacrifice I rose from my affliction. And tearing my garment and my mantle, I fell on my knees and spread out my hands to the Lord my God. 6 I said O my God I am ashamed and blush to lift up my face to you my God. For our iniquities have increased over our heads and our guiltiness has grown up to the heavens. 7 Since the days of our fathers we have been in a great sin until this day. And for our iniquities we, our kings, our priests, have been delivered into the hand of the kings of the lands, to the sword, to captivity, and to a spoil, and to shame of face, as it is this day. 8 Now for a little time grace has been shown from the Lord our God, to leave us a remnant to escape and to give us a nail in His holy place, so that our God may enlighten our eyes and give us a little life in our bondage. 9 For we were slaves, yet our God has not left us in our bondage, but has given mercy to us in the sight of the kings of Persia, to give us some life, to set up the house of our God, and to repair its waste, and to give us a wall in Judah and in Jerusalem. 10 Now, O God, what shall we say after this? For we have forsaken your commandments 11 that you commanded by your servants the prophets saying, The land into which you go to possess it is an unclean land with the filthiness of the people of the lands, with their abominations that have filled it from one end to the other with their uncleanness. 12 Now do not give your daughters to their sons, nor take their daughters to your sons, nor seek their peace or their wealth forever, so that you may be strong and eat the good of the land and leave it for an inheritance to your sons forever. 13 After all that has come on us for our evil deeds and for our great sin, since you our God have punished us less than our iniquities deserve, and have given us such an escape as this, 14 should we again break your commandments and join hands with the people of these abominations? Would you not be angry with us until you had crushed us, until there is no remnant nor survivor? 15 O Lord God of Israel, you are righteous. For we are left a remnant that has escaped, as today. Behold, we are before you in our sins, for we cannot stand before you because of this.
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