² Then those of Israelite descent separated themselves from all foreigners and stood and confessed their sins and the iniquities of their ancestors.^(A)

³ When the people heard the law, they separated from Israel all those of foreign descent.^(A)

¹¹ Now make confession to the Lord the God of your ancestors and do his will; separate yourselves from the peoples of the land and from the foreign wives.”^(A)

³⁰ Thus I cleansed them from everything foreign, and I established the duties of the priests and Levites, each in his work,^(A)

The Seventy Weeks

²⁰ While I was speaking and was praying and confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel and presenting my supplication before the Lord my God on behalf of the holy mountain of my God,^(A)

³ Then I turned to the Lord God to seek an answer by prayer and supplication with fasting and sackcloth and ashes.^{(A) 4} I prayed to the Lord my God and made confession, saying,

“Ah, Lord, great and awesome God, keeping covenant and steadfast love with those who love you^[a] and keep your^[b] commandments,^{(B) 5} we have sinned and done wrong, acted wickedly and rebelled, turning aside from your commandments and ordinances.^{(C) 6} We have not listened to your servants the prophets, who spoke in your name to our kings, our princes, and our ancestors, and to all the people of the land.

⁷ “Righteousness is on your side, O Lord, but open shame, as at this day, falls on us, the people of Judah, the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and all Israel, those who are near and those who are far away, in all the lands to which you have driven them because of the treachery that they have committed against you.^{(D) 8} Open shame, O Lord, falls on us, our kings, our princes, and our ancestors because we have sinned against you. ⁹ To the Lord our God belong mercy and forgiveness, but we have rebelled against him^{(E) 10} and have not obeyed the voice of the Lord our God by following his laws, which he set before us by his servants the prophets.

² For they have taken some of their daughters as wives for themselves and for their sons. Thus the holy seed has mixed itself with the peoples of the lands, and in this faithlessness the officials and leaders have led the way.”^(A)

Judgment Pronounced on Arrogance