¶ Now when these things were done, the princes¹ came to me, saying, The people of Israel, and the priests, and the Levites, have not separated² themselves from the people of the lands, doing according³ to their abominations, even of the Canaanites⁴, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Jebusites, the Ammonites⁵, the Moabites⁶, the Egyptians, and the Amorites.

For they have taken of their⁷ daughters for themselves, and for their sons: so that the holy seed⁸ have mingled⁹ themselves with the people of those lands: yea, the hand¹⁰ of the princes and rulers hath been chief in this trespass.

And when I heard this thing, I rent¹¹ my garment and my mantle, and plucked off¹² the hair of my head and of my beard, and sat¹³ down astonied.

Then were assembled unto me every one that trembled¹⁴ at the words of the God of Israel, because of the transgression of those that had been carried away; and I sat astonied until¹⁵ the evening sacrifice.

¶ And at the evening sacrifice I arose up from my heaviness¹⁶; and having rent my garment and my mantle, I fell upon my knees, and spread¹⁷ out my hands unto the LORD my God,

And said, O my God, I am ashamed¹⁸ and blush to lift up my face to thee, my God: for our iniquities¹⁹ are increased over our head, and our trespass²⁰ is grown up unto the heavens.

Since the days²¹ of our fathers have we been in a great trespass unto this day; and for our iniquities²² have we, our kings, and our priests, been delivered into the hand²³ of the kings of the lands, to the sword, to captivity, and to a spoil, and to confusion²⁴ of face, as it is this day²⁵.

And now for a little space²⁶ grace hath been shewed from the LORD our God, to leave us a remnant²⁷ to escape, and to give us a nail²⁸ in his holy place²⁹, that our God may lighten³⁰ our eyes, and give us a little reviving³¹ in our bondage.

For we were bondmen³²; yet our God³³ hath not forsaken us in our bondage, but hath extended mercy unto us in the sight³⁴ of the kings of Persia, to give us a reviving, to set up³⁵ the house of our God, and to repair³⁶ the desolations thereof, and to give us a wall in Judah and in Jerusalem.

¶ And now, O our God, what shall we say³⁷ after this? for we have forsaken thy commandments,

Which thou hast commanded by thy servants³⁸ the prophets, saying, The land, unto which ye go to possess it, is an unclean land with the filthiness³⁹ of the people of the lands, with their abominations, which have filled it from one end to another⁴⁰ with their uncleanness.

Now therefore give not⁴¹ your daughters unto their sons, neither take their daughters unto your sons, nor seek their peace⁴² or their wealth for ever: that ye may⁴³ be strong, and eat⁴⁴ the good of the land, and leave it⁴⁵ for an inheritance to your children for ever.

And after all⁴⁶ that is come upon us for our evil deeds, and for our great trespass, seeing that thou our God hast punished⁴⁷ us less than our iniquities deserve, and hast given us⁴⁸ such deliverance as this;

Should we again⁴⁹ break thy commandments, and join in⁵⁰ affinity with the people of these abominations? wouldest not thou⁵¹ be angry with us till thou hadst consumed us, so that there should be no remnant⁵² nor escaping?

O LORD God of Israel, thou art righteous⁵³: for we remain⁵⁴ yet escaped, as it is this day: behold, we are before thee in our trespasses⁵⁵: for we cannot⁵⁶ stand before thee because of this.