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Ezra 9 New International Version (NIV)

Ezra’s Prayer About Intermarriage

9 After these things had been done, the leaders came to me and said, “The people of Israel, including the priests and the Levites, have not kept themselves separate^(A) from the neighboring peoples with their detestable practices, like those of the Canaanites, Hittites, Perizzites, Jebusites,^(B) Ammonites,^(C) Moabites,^(D) Egyptians and Amorites.^(E) ²They have taken some of their daughters^(F) as wives for themselves and their sons, and have mingled^(G) the holy race^(H) with the peoples around them. And the leaders and officials have led the way in this unfaithfulness.”^(I)

³When I heard this, I tore^(J) my tunic and cloak, pulled hair from my head and beard and sat down appalled.^(K) ⁴Then everyone who trembled^(L) at the words of the God of Israel gathered around me because of this unfaithfulness of the exiles. And I sat there appalled^(M) until the evening sacrifice.

⁵Then, at the evening sacrifice,^(N) I rose from my self-abasement, with my tunic and cloak torn, and fell on my knees with my hands^(O) spread out to the Lord my God ⁶and prayed:

“I am too ashamed^(P) and disgraced, my God, to lift up my face to you, because our sins are higher than our heads and our guilt has reached to the heavens.^(Q) ⁷From the days of our ancestors^(R) until now, our guilt has been great. Because of our sins, we and our kings and our priests have been subjected to the sword^(S) and captivity,^(T) to pillage and humiliation^(U) at the hand of foreign kings, as it is today.

⁸“But now, for a brief moment, the Lord our God has been gracious^(V) in leaving us a remnant^(W) and giving us a firm place^[a]^(X) in his sanctuary, and so our God gives light to our eyes^(Y) and a little relief in our bondage. ⁹Though we are slaves,^(Z) our God has not forsaken us in our bondage. He has shown us kindness^(AA) in the sight of the kings of Persia: He has granted us new life to rebuild the house of our God and repair its ruins,^(AB) and he has given us a wall of protection in Judah and Jerusalem.

¹⁰“But now, our God, what can we say after this? For we have forsaken the commands^(AC) ¹¹you gave through your servants the prophets when you said: ‘The land you are entering^(AD) to possess is a land polluted^(AE) by the corruption of its peoples. By their detestable practices^(AF) they have filled it with their impurity from one end to the other. ¹²Therefore, do not give your daughters in marriage to their sons or take their daughters for your sons. Do not seek a treaty of friendship with them^(AG) at any time, that you may be strong^(AH) and eat the good things^(AI) of the land and leave it to your children as an everlasting inheritance.’^(AJ)

¹³“What has happened to us is a result of our evil^(AK) deeds and our great guilt, and yet, our God, you have punished us less than our sins deserved^(AL) and have given us a remnant like this. ¹⁴Shall we then break your commands again and intermarry^(AM) with the peoples who commit such detestable practices? Would you not be angry enough with us to destroy us,^(AN) leaving us no remnant^(AO) or survivor? ¹⁵Lord, the God of Israel, you are righteous!^(AP) We are left this day as a remnant. Here we are before you in our guilt, though because of it not one of us can stand^(AQ) in your presence.^(AR)”

New International Version (NIV)