Ezra 9:2-6

9:2 Indeed, they have taken some of their daughters as wives for themselves and for their sons, so that the holy race ¹  has become intermingled with the local residents. Worse still, the leaders and the officials have been at the forefront of all of this!”

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

9:5 At the time of the evening offering I got up from my self-abasement, ⁴  with my tunic and robe torn, and then dropped to my knees and spread my hands to the Lord my God. 9:6 I prayed, ⁵ 

“O my God, I am ashamed and embarrassed to lift my face to you, my God! For our iniquities have climbed higher than our heads, and our guilt extends to the heavens.

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¹ tn Heb “the holy seed,” referring to the Israelites as God’s holy people.

² tn Heb “who trembled at the words of the God of Israel.”

³ tn Heb “the exile”; the words “the people” are not in the Hebrew text, but are supplied in the translation for clarity.

⁴ tn The Hebrew word used here is a hapax legomenon. It refers to the self-abasement that accompanies religious sorrow and fasting.

⁵ tn Heb “I said.”