Ezra 9

All 15 verses in the Clear Bible Translation. Tap a verse to compare the KJV and read what it means.

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1. 1After these things were done, the leaders came to me and said, "The people of Israel, including the priests and the Levites, have not separated themselves from the people of the lands. They are following the abominations of the Canaanites, Hittites, Perizzites, Jebusites, Ammonites, Moabites, Egyptians, and Amorites."
2. 2For they have taken daughters from these nations for themselves and for their sons, so that the holy seed has mingled with the people of those lands. Indeed, the leaders and officials have been the chief offenders in this trespass.
3. 3When I heard this, I tore my garment and my robe, pulled hair from my head and beard, and sat down astonished.
4. 4Then everyone who trembled at the words of the God of Israel gathered to me because of the transgression of those who had been carried away, and I sat astonished until the evening sacrifice.
5. 5At the evening sacrifice, I rose from my grief. With my garment and robe still torn, I dropped to my knees and stretched out my hands to the LORD my God.
6. 6I prayed, "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 trespass has grown up to the heavens."
7. 7From the days of our ancestors until now, we have been deeply guilty. Because of our sins, we, our kings, and our priests have been handed over to foreign kings — to the sword, to captivity, to plunder, and to utter disgrace, just as we see today.
8. 8And now for a little space 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, that our God may lighten our eyes and give us a little reviving in our bondage.
9. 9We were slaves, yet our God did not abandon us in our slavery. Instead, he showed us mercy in the eyes of the kings of Persia. He gave us new life to rebuild the house of our God and restore its ruins, and he gave us a wall in Judah and in Jerusalem.
10. 10But now, our God, what can we possibly say after all this? Because we have abandoned your commandments —
11. 11the ones you gave through your servants the prophets when you said, 'The land you are entering to possess is an unclean land. The peoples living there have filled it from one end to the other with their filthiness, their disgusting practices, and their uncleanness.'
12. 12So do not give your daughters to their sons, and do not take their daughters for your sons. Do not seek their peace or their wealth forever, so that you may be strong, enjoy the good things of the land, and leave it as an inheritance to your children forever.
13. 13After everything that has happened to us because of our evil deeds and our great trespass, and considering that you, our God, have punished us less than our iniquities deserve and have given us such deliverance as this;
14. 14should we break your commandments all over again by intermarrying with peoples who practice these disgusting things? Wouldn't you be angry enough to destroy us completely, until no remnant or survivor was left?
15. 15O LORD God of Israel, you are righteous, for we remain yet escaped, as it is this day. Look, we are before you in our trespasses, for we cannot stand before you because of this.