Ezra 9:1-6

New American Standard Bible

Mixed Marriages

9 Now when these things had been completed, the officials approached me, saying, “The people of Israel and the priests and the Levites have not ^(A)separated themselves from the peoples of the lands, ^(B)as to their abominations, those of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Jebusites, the Ammonites, the Moabites, the Egyptians, and the Amorites. ² For ^(C)they have taken some of their daughters as wives for themselves and for their sons, so that ^(D)the holy ^[a]race has ^(E)intermingled with the peoples of the lands; indeed, the hands of the officials and the leaders have taken the lead in this unfaithfulness.” ³ When I heard about this matter, I ^(F)tore my garment and my robe, and pulled out some of the hair from my head and my beard, and ^(G)sat down ^[b]appalled. ⁴ Then ^(H)everyone who was frightened by the words of the God of Israel on account of the unfaithfulness of the exiles gathered to me, and I sat ^[c]appalled until ^(I)the evening offering.

Prayer of Confession

⁵ But at the evening offering I stood up from my ^[d]humiliation, even with my garment and my robe torn, and I bowed down on my knees and ^(J)spread out my ^[e]hands to the Lord my God; ⁶ and I said, “My God, I am ashamed and humiliated to lift up my face to You, my God, for our wrongful deeds have ^[f]risen above our heads, and our ^(K)guilt has grown even to the heavens.