Israel’s Intermarriage

After these things had been done, the leaders approached me and said, “The people of Israel, the priests, and the Levites have not separated themselves(A) from the surrounding peoples whose detestable practices(B) are like those of the Canaanites, Hethites, Perizzites, Jebusites, Ammonites, Moabites, Egyptians, and Amorites.(C) Indeed, the Israelite men[a] have taken some of their daughters as wives for themselves and their sons, so that the holy seed(D) has become mixed with the surrounding peoples.(E) The leaders[b] and officials have taken the lead in this unfaithfulness!” (F) When I heard this report, I tore my tunic and robe, pulled out some of the hair from my head and beard, and sat down devastated.(G)

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Footnotes

  1. 9:2 Lit they
  2. 9:2 Lit hand of the leaders

Ezra’s Reaction to Foreign Marriages(A)

After these things occurred, certain[a] officials approached me and said “The people of Israel, the priests, and the descendants of Levi have not separated themselves from the people of the lands or from the detestable behavior of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Jebusites, the Ammonites, the Moabites, the Egyptians, and the Amorites, because they and their sons have married foreign women.[b] As a result, the holy people[c] have mingled themselves among the people who live in these lands. As a matter of fact, the senior officials and the rulers have been foremost in this sin.”

When I heard this, I tore both my garment and robe, plucked hair from both my head and my beard, and collapsed in shock!

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Footnotes

  1. Ezra 9:1 The Heb. lacks certain
  2. Ezra 9:2 Lit. married some of their daughters
  3. Ezra 9:2 Lit. seed