Ezra 9:11-15 ▼

11 that You commanded by Your servants the prophets, saying, ‘The land that you? are entering to possess, it is a land of impurity, by the impurity of the peoples of the lands with their abominations that have filled it from one end to another with their uncleanness.

12 And now, do not give as wives your? daughters for their sons, and lift not their daughters to your? sons, and never seek their peace or prosperity even to forever, that you? may be strong and eat the good of the land, and give possession to your? children even to forever.’

13 And after all that has come upon us for our evil deeds, and for our great guilt (since You, our God, you have restrained it to lower than our iniquities and have given us a deliverance like this),

14 should we turn back to break Your commandments and join in marriage with the peoples of these abominations? Would You not be angry with us until You had consumed us without remnant or survivor?

15 O YHWH, God of Israel, You are righteous, for we are left as a remnant, as this day. Here we are before You in our guilt, though no one can stand before You because of this.”