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1. After these things had been done, the leaders came to me and said, "Ezra, the Israelites, including the priests and Levites, have not kept themselves separate from the people around us. Those neighbors do evil things, as the Canaanites, Hittites, Perizzites, Jebusites, Ammonites, Moabites, Egyptians, and Amorites did.
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1. Now when these things H428 were done H3615 , the princes H8269 came H5066 to H413 me, saying H559 , The people H5971 of Israel H3478 , and the priests H3548 , and the Levites H3881 , have not H3808 separated themselves H914 from the people H4480 H5971 of the lands H776 , doing according to their abominations H8441 , even 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 .
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2. The Israelite men and their sons have married these women. They have mixed the people who belong to God with the people around them. The leaders and officers of Israel have led the rest of the Israelites to do this unfaithful thing."
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2. For H3588 they have taken H5375 of their daughters H4480 H1323 for themselves , and for their sons H1121 : so that the holy H6944 seed H2233 have mingled themselves H6148 with the people H5971 of those lands H776 : yea , the hand H3027 of the princes H8269 and rulers H5461 hath been H1961 chief H7223 in this H2088 trespass H4604 .
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3. When I heard this, I angrily tore my robe and coat, pulled hair from my head and beard, and sat down in shock.
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3. And when I heard H8085 H853 this H2088 thing H1697 , I rent H7167 H853 my garment H899 and my mantle H4598 , and plucked off H4803 the hair H4480 H8181 of my head H7218 and of my beard H2206 , and sat down H3427 astonished H8074 .
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4. Everyone who trembled in fear at the word of the God of Israel gathered around me because of the unfaithfulness of the captives who had returned. I sat there in shock until the evening sacrifice.
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4. Then were assembled H622 unto H413 me every one H3605 that trembled H2730 at the words H1697 of the God H430 of Israel H3478 , because H5921 of the transgression H4604 of those that had been carried away H1473 ; and I H589 sat H3427 astonished H8074 until H5704 the evening H6153 sacrifice H4503 .
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5. At the evening sacrifice I got up from where I had shown my shame. My robe and coat were torn, and I fell on my knees with my hands spread out to the Lord my God.
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5. And at the evening H6153 sacrifice H4503 I arose up H6965 from my heaviness H4480 H8589 ; and having rent H7167 my garment H899 and my mantle H4598 , I fell H3766 upon H5921 my knees H1290 , and spread out H6566 my hands H3709 unto H413 the LORD H3068 my God H430 ,
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6. I prayed, "My God, I am too ashamed and embarrassed to lift up my face to you, my God, because our sins are so many. They are higher than our heads. Our guilt even reaches up to the sky.
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6. And said H559 , O my God H430 , I am ashamed H954 and blush H3637 to lift up H7311 my face H6440 to H413 thee , my God H430 : for H3588 our iniquities H5771 are increased H7235 over H4605 our head H7218 , and our trespass H819 is grown up H1431 unto H5704 the heavens H8064 .
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7. From the days of our ancestors until now, our guilt has been great. Because of our sins, we, our kings, and our priests have been punished by the sword and captivity. Foreign kings have taken away our things and shamed us, even as it is today.
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7. Since the days H4480 H3117 of our fathers H1 have we H587 been in a great H1419 trespass H819 unto H5704 this H2088 day H3117 ; and for our iniquities H5771 have we H587 , our kings H4428 , and our priests H3548 , been delivered H5414 into the hand H3027 of the kings H4428 of the lands H776 , to the sword H2719 , to captivity H7628 , and to a spoil H961 , and to confusion H1322 of face H6440 , as it is this H2088 day H3117 .
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8. "But now, for a short time, the Lord our God has been kind to us. He has let some of us come back from captivity and has let us live in safety in his holy place. And so our God gives us hope and a little relief from our slavery.
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8. And now H6258 for a little H4592 space H7281 grace H8467 hath been H1961 showed from H4480 H854 the LORD H3068 our God H430 , to leave H7604 us a remnant to escape H6413 , and to give H5414 us a nail H3489 in his holy H6944 place H4725 , that our God H430 may lighten H215 our eyes H5869 , and give H5414 us a little H4592 reviving H4241 in our bondage H5659 .
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9. Even though we are slaves, our God has not left us. He caused the kings of Persia to be kind to us and has given us new life. We can rebuild the Temple and repair its ruins. And he has given us a wall to protect us in Judah and Jerusalem.
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9. For H3588 we H587 were bondmen H5650 ; yet our God H430 hath not H3808 forsaken H5800 us in our bondage H5659 , but hath extended H5186 mercy H2617 unto H5921 us in the sight H6440 of the kings H4428 of Persia H6539 , to give H5414 us a reviving H4241 , to set up H7311 H853 the house H1004 of our God H430 , and to repair H5975 H853 the desolations H2723 thereof , and to give H5414 us a wall H1447 in Judah H3063 and in Jerusalem H3389 .
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10. "But now, our God, what can we say after you have done all this? We have disobeyed your commands
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10. And now H6258 , O our God H430 , what H4100 shall we say H559 after H310 this H2063 ? for H3588 we have forsaken H5800 thy commandments H4687 ,
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11. that you gave through your servants the prophets. You said, 'The land you are entering to own is ruined; the people living there have spoiled it by the evil they do. Their evil filled the land with uncleanness from one end to the other.
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11. Which H834 thou hast commanded H6680 by H3027 thy servants H5650 the prophets H5030 , saying H559 , The land H776 , unto which H834 ye H859 go H935 to possess H3423 it , is an unclean H5079 land H776 with the filthiness H5079 of the people H5971 of the lands H776 , with their abominations H8441 , which H834 have filled H4390 it from one end H4480 H6310 to H413 another H6310 with their uncleanness H2932 .
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12. So do not let your daughters marry their sons, and do not let their daughters marry your sons. Do not wish for their peace or success. Then you will be strong and eat the good things of the land. Then you can leave this land to your descendants forever.'
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12. Now H6258 therefore give H5414 not H408 your daughters H1323 unto their sons H1121 , neither H408 take H5375 their daughters H1323 unto your sons H1121 , nor H3808 seek H1875 their peace H7965 or their wealth H2896 forever H5704 H5769 : that H4616 ye may be strong H2388 , and eat H398 H853 the good H2898 of the land H776 , and leave it for an inheritance H3423 to your children H1121 forever H5704 H5769 .
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13. "What has happened to us is our own fault. We have done evil things, and our guilt is great. But you, our God, have punished us less than we deserve; you have left a few of us alive.
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13. And after H310 all H3605 that is come H935 upon H5921 us for our evil H7451 deeds H4639 , and for our great H1419 trespass H819 , seeing H3588 that thou H859 our God H430 hast punished H2820 us less H4295 than our iniquities H4480 H5771 deserve , and hast given H5414 us such deliverance H6413 as this H2063 ;
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14. We should not again break your commands by allowing marriages with these wicked people. If we did, you would get angry enough to destroy us, and none of us would be left alive.
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14. Should we again H7725 break H6565 thy commandments H4687 , and join in affinity H2859 with the people H5971 of these H428 abominations H8441 ? wouldest not H3808 thou be angry H599 with us till H5704 thou hadst consumed H3615 us , so that there should be no H369 remnant H7611 nor escaping H6413 ?
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15. Lord, God of Israel, by your goodness a few of us are left alive today. We admit that we are guilty and none of us should be allowed to stand before you."
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15. O LORD H3068 God H430 of Israel H3478 , thou H859 art righteous H6662 : for H3588 we remain H7604 yet escaped H6413 , as it is this H2063 day H3117 : behold H2009 , we are before H6440 thee in our trespasses H819 : for H3588 we cannot H369 stand H5975 before H6440 thee because H5921 of this H2088 .
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