Ezra 9
Ezra 9:1 After these things had been done, the captains approached me. They said: “The people of Israel, the priests, and the Levites have not separated themselves from the people of the lands whose repulsive[1] practices are like those of the Canaanites, Hethites, Perizzites, Jebusites, Ammonites, Moabites, Egyptians, and Amorites.
Ezra 9:2 Indeed, the Israelite men have taken some of their daughters as wives for themselves and their sons, so the sacred seed has become mixed with the people of the lands. The captains and officials have taken the lead in this unfaithfulness!”
Ezra 9:3 When I heard this report, I tore my tunic and robe, pulled some hair from my head and beard, and sat down devastated.
Ezra 9:4 Everyone who trembled at the words of the God of Israel gathered around me because of the unfaithfulness of the exiles, while I sat devastated until the evening tribute offering.[2]
Ezra 9:5 At the evening tribute offering, I got up from humiliation, with my tunic and robe torn. Then I fell on my knees and spread my hands to Yahveh, my God.
Ezra 9:6 And I said: My God, I am ashamed and embarrassed to lift my face toward you because our iniquities are higher than our heads, and our need of reparation[3] is as high as the sky.
Ezra 9:7 Our need of reparation has been terrible from the days of our fathers until the present. Because of our iniquities, we have been handed over, along with our kings and priests, to the kings of the lands and the sword, captivity, plundering,[4] and open shame, as it is today.
Ezra 9:8 But now, for a brief moment, grace has come from Yahveh our God, to preserve a remnant for us and give us a stake in his sacred place. Even in our slavery, God has given us a little relief and light to our eyes.
Ezra 9:9 Though we are slaves, our God has not abandoned us in our slavery. He has extended grace to us before the Persian kings, relieving us to rebuild the house of our God and repair its ruins to give us a wall in Judah and Jerusalem.
Ezra 9:10 Now, our God, what can we say in light of this? For we have abandoned the commands
Ezra 9:11 you commanded through your slaves the prophets, saying: “The land you are entering to take possession of[5] is impure. The surrounding peoples have filled it from end to end with their uncleanness by their impurity and repulsive practices.
Ezra 9:12 So do not give your daughters to their sons in marriage or take their daughters for your sons. Never pursue their welfare or prosperity so that you will be strong. Consume the good things of the land and leave it as a possession to your sons permanently.
Ezra 9:13 After all that has happened to us because of our evil deeds and terrible need of reparation — though you, our God, have punished us less than our iniquities deserve and have allowed us to survive —
Ezra 9:14: should we break your commands again and intermarry with the people who commit these repulsive practices? Wouldn’t you become so angry with us that you would destroy us, leaving neither remnant nor survivor?
Ezra 9:15 Lord God of Israel, you are righteous, for we survive as a remnant today. Notice,[6] we are before you with our need of reparation, though no one can stand in your presence.
[1] תּוֹעֵבָה = repulsive. Ezra 9:1, 11, 14.
[2] מִנְחָה = tribute offering, tribute. Ezra 9:4, 5.
[3] אַשְׁמָה = (need of) reparation. Ezra 9:6, 7, 13, 15; 10:10.
[4] בִּזָּה = plunder. Ezra 9:7.
[5] יָרָשׁ = take possession of, dispossess. Ezra 9:11, 12.
[6] הִנֵּה = notice. Ezra 9:15.
jeffersonvann 