Ezra Condemns Mixed Marriages
1 Later the Jewish leaders came to me and said:
Many Israelites, including priests and Levites, are living just like the people around them. They are even guilty of some of the horrible sins of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Jebusites, the Ammonites, the Moabites, the Egyptians, and the Amorites.
2 Some Israelite men have married foreign women and have let their sons do the same thing. Our own officials and leaders were the first to commit this disgusting sin, and now God's holy people are mixed with foreigners.
3 This news made me so angry that I ripped my clothes and tore hair from my head and beard. Then I just sat in shock 4 until the time for the evening sacrifice. Many of our people were greatly concerned and gathered around me, because the God of Israel had warned us to stay away from foreigners.
Ezra's Prayer
5 At the time of the evening sacrifice, I was still sitting there in sorrow with my clothes all torn. So I got down on my knees, then lifted my arms, 6 and prayed:
I am much too ashamed to face you, Lord God. Our sins and our guilt have swept over us like a flood that reaches up to the heavens. 7 Since the time of our ancestors, all of us have sinned. That's why we, our kings, and our priests have often been defeated by other kings. They have killed some of us and made slaves of others; they have taken our possessions and made us ashamed, just as we are today.
8 But for now, Lord God, you have shown great kindness to us. You made us truly happy by letting some of us settle in this sacred place and by helping us in our time of slavery. 9 We are slaves, but you have never turned your back on us. You love us, and because of you, the kings of Persia have helped us. It's as though you have given us new life! You let us rebuild your temple and live safely in Judah and Jerusalem.
10 Our God, what can we say now? Even after all this, we have disobeyed the commands 11 that were given to us by your servants the prophets. They said the land you are giving us is full of sinful and wicked people, who never stop doing disgusting things. 12 And we were warned not to let our daughters and sons marry their sons and daughters.
Your prophets also told us never to help those foreigners or even let them live in peace. You wanted us to become strong and to enjoy the good things in the land, then someday to leave it to our children forever.
13 You punished us because of our terrible sins. But you did not punish us nearly as much as we deserve, and you have brought some of us back home. 14 Why should we disobey your commands again by letting our sons and daughters marry these foreigners who do such disgusting things? That would make you angry enough to destroy us all! 15 Lord God of Israel, you have been more than fair by letting a few of us survive. But once again, our sins have made us ashamed to face you.
1 When as these things were done, the rulers came to me, saying, The people of Israel, and the Priestes, and the Leuites are not separated from the people of the lands (as touching their abominations) to wit, of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Iebusites, the Ammonites, the Moabites, the Egyptians, and the Amorites. 2 For they haue taken their daughters to theselues, and to their sonnes, and they haue mixed the holy seede with the people of the landes, and the hande of the princes and rulers hath bene chiefe in this trespasse. 3 But when I heard this saying, I rent my clothes and my garment, and pluckt off the heare of mine head, and of my beard, and sate downe astonied. 4 And there assembled vnto me all that feared the words of the God of Israel, because of the transgression of them of the captiuitie. And I sate downe astonied vntil the euening sacrifice. 5 And at the euening sacrifice I arose vp from mine heauinesse, and when I had rent my clothes and my garment, I fell vpon my knees, and spred out mine hands vnto the Lord my God, 6 And said, O my God, I am confounded and ashamed, to lift vp mine eyes vnto thee my God: for our iniquities are increased ouer our head, and our trespasse is growen vp vnto the heauen. 7 From the dayes of our fathers haue we bin in a great trespasse vnto this day, and for our iniquities haue we, our Kings, and our Priestes bene deliuered into the hand of the kings of the lands, vnto the sword, into captiuitie, into a spoyle, and into confusion of face, as appeareth this day. 8 And now for a litle space grace hath bene shewed from the Lord our God, in causing a remnant to escape, and in giuing vs a nayle in his holy place, that our God may light our eyes, and giue vs a litle reuiuing in our seruitude. 9 For though we were bondmen, yet our God hath not forsaken vs in our bondage, but hath enclined mercy vnto vs in the sight of the Kings of Persia, to giue vs life, and to erect the house of our God, and to redresse the places thereof, and to giue vs a wall in Iudah and in Ierusalem. 10 And nowe, our God, what shall we say after this? for we haue forsaken thy commandements, 11 Which thou hast commanded by thy seruants the Prophets, saying, The land whereunto ye go to possesse it, is an vncleane land, because of the filthines of the people of the lands, which by their abominations, and by their vncleannes haue filled it from corner to corner. 12 Now therfore shall ye not giue your daughters vnto their sonnes, neither shall ye take their daughters vnto your sonnes, nor seeke their peace nor wealth for euer, that yee may be strong and eate the goodnes of the lande, and leaue it for an inheritance to your sonnes for euer. 13 And after all that is come vpon vs for our euill deedes, and for our great trespasses, (seeing that thou our God hast stayed vs from being beneath for our iniquities, and hast giuen vs such deliuerance) 14 Should we returne to breake thy commadements, and ioyne in affinitie with the people of such abominations? wouldest not thou be angrie towarde vs till thou haddest consumed vs, so that there should be no remnant nor any escaping? 15 O Lord God of Israel, thou art iust, for we haue bene reserued to escape, as appeareth this day: beholde, we are before thee in our trespasse: therfore we canot stand before thee because of it.