9:1 Now when these things had been completed, the leaders approached me saying, “The people of Israel, the priests, and the Levites have not separated themselves from the local residents¹ who practice detestable things similar to those of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Perizites, the Jebusites, the Amonites, the Moabites, the Egyptians, and the Amorites. 9:2 Indeed, they have taken some of their daughters as wives for themselves and for their sons and have intermingled the holy seed with the local residents. Worse still, the leaders and the Levites have been at the forefront of all of this!”

9:3 When I heard this account, I tore my garments and my robe and I pulled out some of the hair of my head and beard. Then I sat down, quite devastated. 9:4 Everyone who had awe toward the words of the God of Israel gathered around me because of the unfaithful acts of the people of the exile.² Devastated, I continued to sit there until the evening offering.

9:5 At the evening offering I arose from my self-abasement, with my torn garment and robe, and then dropped to my knees and spread my hands to the LORD my God. 9:6 I prayed,³

“My God, I am ashamed and embarrassed, my God, to lift my face to you. For our iniquities have climbed higher than our head, and our guilt extends to the heavens. 9:7 From the days of our fathers until this very day our guild has been great. Because of our iniquities we, along with our kings and⁴ priests, have been delivered over by the local kings⁵ to sword, captivity, plunder, and embarrassment—right up to the present time.

9:8 “But now briefly⁶ we have received mercy from the LORD our God in that he has left us a remnant and has given us a secure position⁷in his holy place. Thus our God has enlightened our eyes and has given us a little reviving in our time of servitude. 9:9 Although we are slaves, our God has not abandoned us in our servitude. He has extended to us kindness with the kings of Persia, in that he has given us reviving in order to restore the temple of our God and to raise⁸ up its ruins and to give us a protective wall in Judah and Jerusalem.

9:10 “And now what are we able to say after this, our God? For we have forsaken your commandments 9:11 which you commanded us through your servants the prophets saying, ‘The land to which you are coming in order to possess it is a land defiled by the impurities of the local residents.⁹ With their abominations they have filled it from end to end with their filthiness. 9:12 Therefore do not give your daughters in marriage to their sons, and do not take their daughters in marriage for your sons. Do not ever seek their peace or welfare, so that you may be strong and may eat the good of the land and may leave it as an inheritance for your sons forever.’

9:13 “Everything that has befallen us has happened because of our wicked actions and our great guilt. Even so, our God, you have exercised restraint¹⁰ toward our iniquities and you have given us a remnant such as this. 9:14 Shall we once again break your commandments and intermarry with these abominable peoples? Would you not be so angered by us as to wipe us out, with no survivor or remnant? 9:15 O LORD God of Israel, you are righteous, for we are left as a remnant this day. Indeed, we stand before you in our guilt. However, because of it¹¹ no one can really stand before you.”