Ezra
Summary
Ezra Chapter 9 describes Ezra’s profound shock and grief upon learning that the people of Israel, including the priests and Levites, had intermarried with the surrounding pagan nations. Appalled by this spiritual unfaithfulness, Ezra tore his clothes and sat in silence until the evening sacrifice. He then offered a deeply moving prayer of confession on behalf of the nation, acknowledging their long history of sin and God's mercy in leaving them a "remnant." He expressed deep shame, admitting that the people were unable to stand before God because of their many transgressions.
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 from the neighbouring peoples and their detestable practices, like those of the Canaanites, Hittites, Perizzites, Jebusites, Ammonites, Moabites, Egyptians and Amorites.
"They have taken some of their daughters as wives for themselves and their sons, and have mingled the holy race with the peoples around them. And the leaders and officials have led the way in this unfaithfulness."
When I heard this, I tore my tunic and cloak, pulled hair from my head and beard and sat down appalled.
Then everyone who trembled at the words of the God of Israel gathered around me because of this unfaithfulness of the exiles. And I sat there appalled until the evening sacrifice.
Then, at the evening sacrifice, I rose from my self-abasement, with my tunic and cloak torn, and fell on my knees with my hands spread out to the LORD my God
and prayed: "O my God, I am too ashamed and disgraced to lift up my face to you, my God, because our sins are higher than our heads and our guilt has reached to the heavens.
"From the days of our ancestors until now, our guilt has been great. Because of our sins, we and our kings and our priests have been subjected to the sword and captivity, to pillage and humiliation at the hand of foreign kings, as it is today.
"But now, for a brief moment, the LORD our God has been gracious in leaving us a remnant and giving us a firm place [1] in his sanctuary, and so our God gives light to our eyes and a little relief in our bondage.
"Though we are slaves, our God has not deserted us in our bondage. He has shown us kindness 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, and he has given us a wall of protection in Judah and Jerusalem.
"But now, our God, what can we say after this? For we have forsaken the commands
you gave through your servants the prophets when you said: 'The land you are entering to possess is a land polluted by the detestable practices of its peoples. From one end to the other they have filled it with its impurity.
"Therefore, 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 at any time, that you may be strong and eat the good things of the land and leave it to your children as an everlasting inheritance.'
"What has happened to us is a result of our evil deeds and our great guilt, and yet, our God, you have punished us less than our sins have deserved and have given us a remnant like this.
"Shall we then break your commands again and intermarry with the peoples who commit such detestable practices? Would you not be angry enough with us to destroy us, leaving us no remnant or survivor?
"O LORD God of Israel, you are righteous! We were left a remnant, and so we are before you this day in our guilt, though because of it not one of us can stand in your presence."