Ezra:9

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* Now when these things were done , the princes drew near unto 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 . * 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 ; yea , the hand of the princes and rulers hath been first in this faithlessness .' * And when I heard this thing , I rent my garment and my mantle , and plucked off the hair of my head and of my beard , and sat down appalled . * Then were assembled unto me every one that trembled at the words of the God of Israel , because of the faithlessness of them of the captivity ; and I sat appalled until the evening offering . * And at the evening offering I arose up from my fasting , even with my garment and my mantle rent ; and I fell upon my knees , and spread out my hands unto the LORD my God ; * and I said : 'O my God , I am ashamed and blush to lift up my face to Thee , my God ; for our iniquities are increased over our head , and our guiltiness is grown up unto the heavens . * Since the days of our fathers we have been exceeding guilty unto 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 spoiling , and to confusion of face , as it is this day . * And now for a little moment grace hath been shown from the LORD 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 . * For we are bondmen ; yet our God hath not forsaken us in our bondage , but hath extended mercy unto 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 thereof , and to give us a fence in Judah and in Jerusalem . * And now , O our God , what shall we say after this ? for we have forsaken Thy commandments , * which Thou hast commanded by Thy servants the prophets , saying : The land , unto which ye go to possess it , is an unclean land through the uncleanness of the peoples of the lands , through their abominations , wherewith they have filled it from one end to another with their filthiness . * Now therefore give not your daughters unto their sons , neither take their daughters unto your sons , nor seek their peace or their prosperity for ever ; that ye may be strong , and eat the good of the land , and leave it for an inheritance to your children for ever . * And after all that is come upon us for our evil deeds , and for our great guilt , seeing that Thou our God hast punished us less than our iniquities deserve , and hast given us such a remnant , * shall we again break Thy commandments , and make marriages with the peoples that do these abominations ? wouldest not Thou be angry with us till Thou hadst consumed us , so that there should be no remnant , nor any to escape ? * O LORD , the God of Israel , Thou art righteous ; for we are left a remnant that is escaped , as it is this day ; behold , we are before Thee in our guiltiness ; for none can stand before Thee because of this .'

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