1 After these things were done, the leaders approached me and said, "The people of Israel, the priests, and the Levites have not kept themselves apart from the peoples of the lands and their abominations, from the Canaanites, Hittites, Perizzites, Jebusites, Ammonites, Moabites, Egyptians, and Amorites.
2 They have taken some of their daughters as wives for themselves and their sons, and so the holy seed has mingled with the peoples of the lands. And the leaders and officials have led the way in this unfaithfulness."
3 When I heard this report, I tore my tunic and my cloak, pulled out hair from my head and beard, and sat down stunned.
4 Then all who trembled at the words of the God of Israel because of the exiles' unfaithfulness gathered around me, while I sat there stunned until the evening offering.
5 At the time of the evening offering I got up from my humiliation, with my tunic and cloak torn, and dropped to my knees and stretched out my hands to the LORD my God.
6 I said, "My God, I am too ashamed and humiliated to lift my face to you, my God, because our sins are piled higher than our heads, and our guilt has reached up to the heavens.
7 Since the days of our fathers until now our guilt has been great. Because of our sins, we, our kings, and our priests have been handed over to the kings of the lands, to the sword, to captivity, to plunder, and to humiliation, as is the case today.
8 But now, for a brief moment, the LORD our God has been gracious to us by leaving us a remnant that escaped and by giving us a peg in his holy place, so that our God might brighten our eyes and give us a little relief in our slavery.
9 Slaves we are, yet our God has not abandoned us in our slavery. He has shown us steadfast love before the kings of Persia, giving us new life to rebuild the house of our God and restore its ruins, and giving us a wall of protection in Judah and Jerusalem.
10 And now, our God, what can we say after this? For we have abandoned your commandments,
11 which you gave through your servants the prophets when you said, 'The land you are entering to take possession of is a land polluted by the impurity of the peoples of the lands, by their abominations, with which they have filled it from one end to the other in their uncleanness.
12 So do not give your daughters to their sons or take their daughters for your sons, and never seek their peace or their good, so that you may be strong, eat the good things of the land, and leave it to your children as an inheritance forever.'
13 After all that has happened to us because of our evil deeds and our great guilt, though you, our God, have held back punishment below what our sins deserved and have given us a remnant like this,
14 are we to break your commandments again and intermarry with the peoples who commit these abominations? Would you not be so angry with us that you would wipe us out, leaving no remnant or survivor?
15 LORD God of Israel, you are righteous, for we are left as a remnant that has escaped, as we are today. Here we are before you in our guilt, though because of it no one can stand in your presence."