1 After|strong="H0413" we|strong="H0776" finished|strong="H3615" all|strong="H3615" these|strong="H0428" things|strong="H0428", the|strong="H0559" leaders|strong="H8269" of|strong="H0776" the|strong="H0559" Israelites|strong="H3478" came|strong="H5066" to|strong="H0413" me|strong="H0413" and|strong="H3478" said|strong="H0559", “Ezra, the|strong="H0559" Israelites|strong="H3478" have|strong="H0776" not|strong="H3808" kept themselves|strong="H0428" separate|strong="H0914" from|strong="H3478" the|strong="H0559" other|strong="H0428" people|strong="H5971" living around us|strong="H0413". And|strong="H3478" the|strong="H0559" priests|strong="H3548" and|strong="H3478" the|strong="H0559" Levites|strong="H3881" have|strong="H0776" not|strong="H3808" kept themselves|strong="H0428" separate|strong="H0914". The|strong="H0559" Israelites|strong="H3478" are|strong="H0428" being influenced by|strong="H0413" evil things|strong="H0428" done by|strong="H0413" the|strong="H0559" Canaanites|strong="H3669", Hittites|strong="H2850", Perizzites|strong="H6522", Jebusites|strong="H2983", Ammonites|strong="H5984", Moabites|strong="H4125", Egyptians|strong="H4713", and|strong="H3478" Amorites|strong="H0567".
2 The|strong="H3588" Israelites|strong="H2088" have|strong="H1961" married|strong="H5375" the|strong="H3588" people|strong="H5971" living around|strong="H3027" us|strong="H3588". The|strong="H3588" Israelites|strong="H2088" are|strong="H1992" supposed to|strong="H1961" be|strong="H1961" special, but|strong="H3588" now|strong="H1961" they|strong="H1992" are|strong="H1992" mixed with|strong="H0776" the|strong="H3588" other|strong="H2088" people|strong="H5971" living around|strong="H3027" them|strong="H1992". The|strong="H3588" leaders|strong="H8269" and|strong="H1121" important officials|strong="H8269" of|strong="H1121" the|strong="H3588" Israelites|strong="H2088" have|strong="H1961" set|strong="H6944" a|strong="H1961" bad example in|strong="H0776" this|strong="H2088" thing|strong="H6944".”
3 When|strong="H8085" I|strong="H1697" heard|strong="H8085" about|strong="H1697" this|strong="H2088", I|strong="H1697" tore|strong="H7167" my|strong="H8085" robe|strong="H4598" and|strong="H7218" my|strong="H8085" coat to|strong="H8085" show|strong="H8085" I|strong="H1697" was|strong="H1697" upset|strong="H1697". I|strong="H1697" pulled|strong="H4803" hair|strong="H8181" from|strong="H8085" my|strong="H8085" head|strong="H7218" and|strong="H7218" beard|strong="H2206". I|strong="H1697" sat|strong="H3427" down|strong="H3427", shocked|strong="H8074" and|strong="H7218" upset|strong="H1697".
4 Then|strong="H3605" everyone|strong="H3605" who|strong="H3605" respected God’s|strong="H0430" Law shook with|strong="H0413" fear. They|strong="H5921" were|strong="H3478" afraid because|strong="H5921" the|strong="H3605" Israelites|strong="H3478" who|strong="H3605" came|strong="H0413" back|strong="H0413" from|strong="H5921" captivity were|strong="H3478" not faithful to|strong="H0413" God|strong="H0430". I|strong="H0589" was|strong="H3478" shocked|strong="H8074" and|strong="H3478" upset|strong="H1697". I|strong="H0589" sat|strong="H3427" there|strong="H3427" until|strong="H5704" the|strong="H3605" evening|strong="H6153" sacrifice|strong="H4503", and|strong="H3478" the|strong="H3605" people|strong="H3427" gathered|strong="H0622" around|strong="H5921" me|strong="H0413".
5 Then|strong="H6965", when|strong="H3068" it|strong="H5921" was|strong="H3068" time for|strong="H5921" the|strong="H5921" evening|strong="H6153" sacrifice|strong="H4503", I|strong="H3068" got|strong="H6965" up|strong="H6965". I|strong="H3068" had|strong="H3068" made myself look shameful while|strong="H5921" I|strong="H3068" was|strong="H3068" sitting there|strong="H3068". My|strong="H3068" robe|strong="H4598" and|strong="H6965" coat were|strong="H0430" torn|strong="H7167", and|strong="H6965" I|strong="H3068" fell|strong="H5921" on|strong="H5921" my|strong="H3068" knees|strong="H1290" with|strong="H0413" my|strong="H3068" hands|strong="H3709" spread|strong="H6566" out|strong="H5921" to|strong="H0413" the|strong="H5921" LORD|strong="H3068" my|strong="H3068" God|strong="H0430".
6 Then|strong="H0559" I|strong="H3588" prayed|strong="H0559" this|strong="H3588" prayer:
7 We|strong="H0587" have|strong="H0001" been|strong="H0776" guilty|strong="H5771" of|strong="H4428" many|strong="H1419" sins|strong="H5771" from|strong="H6440" the|strong="H6440" days|strong="H3117" of|strong="H4428" our|strong="H5414" ancestors|strong="H0001" until|strong="H5704" now|strong="H3117". We|strong="H0587" sinned so|strong="H5414" our|strong="H5414" kings|strong="H4428" and|strong="H0776" priests|strong="H3548" were|strong="H3117" punished. Foreign kings|strong="H4428" attacked|strong="H3027" us|strong="H5414" and|strong="H0776" took|strong="H5414" our|strong="H5414" people|strong="H0776" away. They|strong="H3117" took|strong="H5414" away our|strong="H5414" wealth and|strong="H0776" made|strong="H5414" us|strong="H5414" ashamed. It|strong="H5414" is|strong="H2088" the|strong="H6440" same|strong="H2088" even|strong="H5704" today|strong="H3117".
8 “But|strong="H1961" now|strong="H6258", finally, you|strong="H5414" have|strong="H1961" been|strong="H1961" kind to|strong="H1961" us|strong="H5414". You|strong="H5414" have|strong="H1961" let|strong="H5414" a|strong="H1961" few|strong="H4592" of|strong="H0430" us|strong="H5414" escape|strong="H6413" captivity and|strong="H3068" come|strong="H1961" to|strong="H1961" live in|strong="H0430" this|strong="H6258" holy|strong="H6944" place|strong="H4725". LORD|strong="H3068", you|strong="H5414" gave|strong="H5414" us|strong="H5414" new life|strong="H4241" and|strong="H3068" relief|strong="H4241" from|strong="H1961" our|strong="H3068" slavery|strong="H5659".
9 Yes|strong="H3588", we|strong="H0587" were|strong="H3063" slaves|strong="H5650", but|strong="H3588" you|strong="H3588" would|strong="H4428" not|strong="H3808" let|strong="H5414" us|strong="H5414" be|strong="H3808" slaves|strong="H5650" forever. You|strong="H3588" were|strong="H3063" kind to|strong="H5921" us|strong="H5414". You|strong="H3588" made|strong="H5414" the|strong="H0853" kings|strong="H4428" of|strong="H4428" Persia|strong="H6539" be|strong="H3808" kind to|strong="H5921" us|strong="H5414". Your|strong="H5414" Temple|strong="H1004" was|strong="H0430" ruined|strong="H2723", but|strong="H3588" you|strong="H3588" gave|strong="H5414" us|strong="H5414" new life|strong="H4241" so|strong="H5414" that|strong="H3588" we|strong="H0587" can|strong="H5975" rebuild your|strong="H5414" Temple|strong="H1004" and|strong="H3063" repair it|strong="H5414" like|strong="H3808" new. God|strong="H0430", you|strong="H3588" helped us|strong="H5414" build a|strong="H3588" wall|strong="H1447" to|strong="H5921" protect Judah|strong="H3063" and|strong="H3063" Jerusalem|strong="H3389".
10 “Now|strong="H6258", God|strong="H0430", what|strong="H4100" can|strong="H4100" we|strong="H3588" say|strong="H0559" to|strong="H0559" you|strong="H3588"? We|strong="H3588" have|strong="H6258" stopped obeying you|strong="H3588" again|strong="H0310".
11 You|strong="H0859" used your|strong="H0834" servants|strong="H5650" the|strong="H0559" prophets|strong="H5030" to|strong="H0413" give|strong="H6680" these|strong="H1931" commands|strong="H6680" to|strong="H0413" us|strong="H0413". You|strong="H0859" said|strong="H0559", ‘The|strong="H0559" land|strong="H0776" you|strong="H0859" are|strong="H0834" going|strong="H0935" to|strong="H0413" live|strong="H4390" in|strong="H0935" and|strong="H0935" own is|strong="H0834" a|strong="H0935" ruined land|strong="H0776". It|strong="H1931" has|strong="H0834" been|strong="H0834" ruined by|strong="H3027" evil things|strong="H8441" the|strong="H0559" people|strong="H5971" living there|strong="H0834" have|strong="H0834" done|strong="H3027". They|strong="H0834" have|strong="H0834" done|strong="H3027" very bad things|strong="H8441" in|strong="H0935" every place|strong="H3027" in|strong="H0935" this|strong="H1931" land|strong="H0776". They|strong="H0834" have|strong="H0834" made|strong="H0834" this|strong="H1931" land|strong="H0776" dirty with|strong="H4390" their|strong="H0935" sins.
12 So|strong="H4616" Israelites, don’t|strong="H0408" let|strong="H5414" your|strong="H5414" children|strong="H1121" marry|strong="H5414" their|strong="H5375" children|strong="H1121". Don’t|strong="H0408" join them|strong="H5414". Don’t|strong="H0408" want|strong="H3423" the|strong="H0853" things|strong="H2898" they|strong="H3808" have|strong="H1121". Obey my|strong="H5414" commands so|strong="H4616" that|strong="H4616" you|strong="H5414" will|strong="H0776" be|strong="H3808" strong|strong="H2388" and|strong="H1121" enjoy the|strong="H0853" good|strong="H2896" things|strong="H2898" of|strong="H1121" the|strong="H0853" land|strong="H0776". And|strong="H1121" then|strong="H6258" you|strong="H5414" can|strong="H1121" keep this|strong="H6258" land|strong="H0776" and|strong="H1121" give|strong="H5414" it|strong="H5414" to|strong="H5704" your|strong="H5414" children|strong="H1121".’
13 “What|strong="H4639" has|strong="H0430" happened|strong="H0935" to|strong="H0935" us|strong="H5414" is|strong="H0430" our|strong="H3605" own fault|strong="H7451". We|strong="H3588" have|strong="H0859" done|strong="H4639" evil|strong="H7451" things|strong="H3605", and|strong="H0935" we|strong="H3588" have|strong="H0859" much|strong="H3605" guilt|strong="H5771". But|strong="H3588" you|strong="H0859", our|strong="H3605" God|strong="H0430", have|strong="H0859" punished us|strong="H5414" much|strong="H3605" less|strong="H3588" than|strong="H5921" we|strong="H3588" should|strong="H3588" have|strong="H0859" been|strong="H3605". We|strong="H3588" have|strong="H0859" done|strong="H4639" many|strong="H1419" terrible|strong="H7451" sins|strong="H5771", and|strong="H0935" we|strong="H3588" should|strong="H3588" have|strong="H0859" been|strong="H3605" punished worse|strong="H7451". And|strong="H0935" you|strong="H0859" have|strong="H0859" even|strong="H3588" let|strong="H5414" some|strong="H3605" of|strong="H0430" our|strong="H3605" people escape|strong="H6413" captivity.
14 So|strong="H3808" we|strong="H5704" know that|strong="H3808" we|strong="H5704" must|strong="H3808" not|strong="H3808" break|strong="H6565" your|strong="H7725" commands|strong="H4687". We|strong="H5704" must|strong="H3808" not|strong="H3808" marry those|strong="H0428" people|strong="H5971". They|strong="H3808" do|strong="H0369" very|strong="H5704" bad things|strong="H0428". God|strong="H3808", if we|strong="H5704" continue to|strong="H5704" marry these|strong="H0428" bad people|strong="H5971", we|strong="H5704" know you|strong="H5704" will|strong="H0369" destroy|strong="H3615" us|strong="H7725". Then|strong="H7725" there|strong="H0369" would|strong="H0369" be|strong="H3808" no|strong="H3808" one|strong="H0369" from|strong="H7725" the|strong="H5704" Israelites left|strong="H7725" alive.
15 “LORD|strong="H3068", God|strong="H0430" of|strong="H0430" Israel|strong="H3478", you|strong="H0859" are|strong="H3117" good|strong="H2005", and|strong="H3068" you|strong="H0859" still|strong="H5975" have|strong="H0369" let some|strong="H3117" of|strong="H0430" us|strong="H5921" live|strong="H3117". Yes|strong="H3588", we|strong="H3588" are|strong="H3117" guilty|strong="H0819", and|strong="H3068" because|strong="H3588" of|strong="H0430" our|strong="H3068" guilt|strong="H0819", not|strong="H0369" one|strong="H0369" of|strong="H0430" us|strong="H5921" should|strong="H3068" be|strong="H3478" allowed|strong="H3068" to|strong="H5921" stand|strong="H5975" in|strong="H5921" front|strong="H6440" of|strong="H0430" you|strong="H0859".”