Ezra 9 – Legacy Standard Bible (LSB)

The Unfaithfulness of the Exiles

1 Now when these ^H428 things ^H428 had been completed ^H3615, the princes ^H8269 approached ^H5066 me, saying ^H559, “The people ^H5971 of Israel ^H3478 and the priests ^H3548 and the Levites ^H3881 have not separated ^H914 themselves from the peoples ^H5971 of the lands ^H776, according to their abominations ^H8441, those of the Canaanites ^H3669, the Hittites ^H2850, the Perizzites ^H6522, the Jebusites ^H2983, the Ammonites ^H5984, the Moabites ^H4125, the Egyptians ^H4713 and the Amorites ^H567.

2 For they have taken ^H5375 some ^H4480 of their daughters ^H1323 as wives for themselves and for their sons ^H1121, so that the holy ^H6944 seed ^H2233 has intermingled ^H6148 with the peoples ^H5971 of the lands ^H776; indeed, the hands ^H3027 of the princes ^H8269 and the officials ^H5461 have been ^H1961 foremost ^H7223 in this ^H2088 unfaithfulness ^H4604.” 3 When I heard ^H8085 about this ^H2088 matter ^H1697, I tore ^H7167 my garment ^H899 and my robe ^H4598, and pulled ^H4803 some ^H4480 of the hair ^H8181 from my head ^H7218 and my beard ^H2206, and sat ^H3427 down ^H3427 in consternation ^H8074. 4 Then everyone ^H3605 who trembled ^H2730 at the words ^H1697 of the God ^H430 of Israel ^H3478 on ^H5921 account ^H5921 of ^H5921 the unfaithfulness ^H4604 of the exiles ^H1473 gathered ^H622 to me, and I sat ^H3427 appalled ^H8074 until ^H5704 the evening ^H6153 offering ^H4503.

Ezra’s Confession

5 But at the evening ^H6153 offering ^H4503 I arose ^H6965 from my [fn]affliction ^H8589, even with my garment ^H899 and my robe ^H4598 torn ^H7167, and I fell ^H3766 on my knees ^H1290 and stretched ^H6566 out ^H6566 my [fn]hands ^H3709 to Yahweh ^H3068 my God ^H430;

6 and I said ^H559, “O my God ^H430, I am ^H954 ashamed ^H954 and humiliated ^H3637 to lift ^H7311 up ^H7311 my face ^H6440 to You, my God ^H430, for our iniquities ^H5771 have multiplied ^H7235 above ^H4605 our heads ^H7218 and our guilt ^H819 has become ^H1431 great ^H1431 even ^H5704 to the heavens ^H8064. 7 Since ^H4480 the days ^H3117 of our fathers ^H1 to this ^H2088 day ^H3117 we have been in great ^H1419 guilt ^H819, and on account of our iniquities ^H5771 we, our kings ^H4428 and our priests ^H3548 have been given ^H5414 into the hand ^H3027 of the kings ^H4428 of the lands ^H776, to the sword ^H2719, to captivity ^H7628, and to plunder ^H961 and to [fn]open ^H6440 shame ^H1322, as it is this ^H2088 day ^H3117. 8 But now ^H6258 for a brief ^H4592 moment ^H7281 grace ^H8467 has been ^H1961 shown from Yahweh ^H3068 our God ^H430, to leave ^H7604 us an escaped ^H6413 remnant ^H6413 and to give ^H5414 us a peg ^H3489 in His holy ^H6944 place ^H4725, that our God ^H430 may enlighten ^H215 our eyes ^H5869 and give ^H5414 us a little ^H4592 reviving ^H4241 in our slavery ^H5659. 9 For we are slaves ^H5650; yet in our slavery ^H5659 our God ^H430 has not forsaken ^H5800 us, but has extended ^H5186 lovingkindness ^H2617 to us before ^H6440 the kings ^H4428 of Persia ^H6539, to give ^H5414 us reviving ^H4241 to raise ^H7311 up ^H7311 the house ^H1004 of our God ^H430, to restore ^H5975 its waste ^H2723 places ^H2723, and to give ^H5414 us a wall ^H1447 in Judah ^H3063 and Jerusalem ^H3389.

10 “So now ^H6258, our God ^H430, what ^H4100 shall we say ^H559 after ^H310 this ^H2088? For we have forsaken ^H5800 Your commandments ^H4687, 11 which ^H834 You have commanded ^H6680 by the hand ^H3027 of Your slaves ^H5650 the prophets ^H5030, saying ^H559, ‘The land ^H776 which ^H834 you are entering ^H935 to possess ^H3423 is an impure ^H5079 land ^H776 with the impurity ^H5079 of the peoples ^H5971 of the lands ^H776, with their abominations ^H8441 which ^H834 have filled ^H4390 it from end ^H6310 to end ^H6310, and with their uncleanness ^H2932. 12 So now ^H6258 do not give ^H5414 your daughters ^H1323 to their sons ^H1121 nor ^H408 take ^H5375 their daughters ^H1323 to your sons ^H1121, and never ^H3808 seek ^H1875 their peace ^H7965 or their prosperity ^H2896, that you may be strong ^H2388 and eat ^H398 the good ^H2898 things of the land ^H776 and leave ^H3423 it as ^H3423 a ^H3423 possession ^H3423 to your sons ^H1121 forever ^H5704 H5769.’ 13 After ^H310 all ^H3605 that has come ^H935 upon us for our evil ^H7451 deeds ^H4639 and our great ^H1419 guilt ^H819, since ^H3588 You our God ^H430 have requited ^H2820 us less ^H4295 than ^H4480 our iniquities ^H5771 deserve, and have given ^H5414 us an escaped ^H6413 remnant ^H6413 as this ^H2088, 14 shall we again ^H7725 break ^H6565 Your commandments ^H4687 and intermarry ^H2859 with the peoples ^H5971 [fn]who commit these ^H428 abominations ^H8441? Would You not be angry ^H599 with us [fn]to ^H5704 the ^H5704 point ^H5704 of destruction ^H3615, until ^H5704 there ^H369 is ^H369 no ^H369 remnant ^H7611 nor ^H369 any who escape ^H6413? 15 O Yahweh ^H3068, the God ^H430 of Israel ^H3478, You are righteous ^H6662, for we have been left ^H7604 an escaped ^H6413 remnant ^H6413, as it is this ^H2088 day ^H3117; behold ^H2009, we are before ^H6440 You in our guilt ^H819, for no ^H369 one ^H369 can stand ^H5975 before ^H6440 You because ^H5921 of this ^H2088.”