1 ¶ When these things were done, the leaders came to me, saying, The people of Israel, and the priests, and the Levites, have not separated themselves from the people of the lands, with their abominations, those of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Jebusites, the Ammonites, the Moabites, the Egyptians, and the Amorites.

2 For they have taken their daughters as wives for themselves, and for their sons: and the holy people have mixed themselves with the people of those lands: yea, the leaders and rulers have led in this trespass.

3 And when I heard this, I tore my tunic and my robe, and pulled hair from my head and beard, and sat down appalled.

4 Then all who trembled at the words of the God of Israel, because of this transgression by those who had been taken into exile, gathered around me; as I sat dazed until the evening sacrifice.

5 ¶ And at the evening sacrifice I arose from my heaviness; and having torn my garment and my robe, I fell on my knees, and spread out my hands to the LORD my God,

6 And said, O my God, I am ashamed and blush to look up to you, my God: for our sins are so many they overwhelm us, and our guilt is as high as the heavens.

7 Since the days of our fathers to this day have we been exceedingly guilty; and because of our sins we, our kings, and our priests, been delivered into the hand of the kings of the lands, to the sword, to captivity, to plundering, and open shame, as it is today.

8 And now for a short time the LORD our God has shown us grace, to leave us a remnant of survivors, and to give us a stake in his holy place, that our God may give light to our eyes, and give us a little relief in our bondage.

9 Though we were slaves; our God has not forsaken us in our bondage, but has extended mercy to us in the sight of the kings of Persia, to give us new life, so that we can rebuild the house of our God, and repair its ruins, and to give us protection in Judah and in Jerusalem.

10 And now, O our God, what can we say after this? for we have forsaken your commandments,

11 Which you have commanded by your servants the prophets, saying, The land that you are entering to possess, is a defiled land, due to the filthiness of its people, with their abominations, that have filled it from one end to another with their uncleanness.

12 Therefore do not give your daughters to their sons, or take their daughters for your sons, and do not seek their peace or prosperity forever: that you may be strong, and eat the good of the land, and leave it as an inheritance to your children forever.

13 And after all that is come upon us because of our evil deeds, and our great sin, seeing that you our God have punished us less than our iniquities deserve, and have given us these survivors;

14 If we should again break your commandments, and intermarry with the peoples who commit these abominations? would you not be angry with us until you had consumed us, so that there would be no survivors left?

15 O LORD God of Israel, because you are righteous we survive as a remnant, to this day: behold, here we are before you in our guilt: for we cannot stand before you because of this.