Intermarriage with Neighboring Peoples
(Nehemiah 13:23–31)

1Whan all this was perfourmed, the rulers came to me, and sayde: The people of Israel, and the prestes, & Leuites are not separated from the nacions in the londes as touchinge their abhominacions, namely of the Cananites, Hethites, Pheresites, Iebusites, Ammonites, Moabites, Egipcians, and Amorites. 2For they haue taken the doughters of the same, & their sonnes, and haue myxte the holy sede with ye nacions in the londes: and the hande of the rulers and lordes of councell hath bene principall in this trespace. 3Whan I herde this, I rente my clothes and my rayment, and plucte out the heer of my heade and of my beerd, and sat mournynge. 4And there resorted vnto me all soch as feared the worde of the LORDE God of Israel because of the greate transgression. And I sat mournynge vntyll the euenynge sacrifyce.

Ezra’s Prayer of Confession

5And aboute the euenynge sacrifice I rose vp fro my heuynes, and rente my clothes and my raiment, and fell vpon my knees, and spred out my handes vnto the LORDE my God, 6and sayde: My God, I am ashamed, and darre not lifte vp mine eies vnto the my God: for oure wickednesses are growne ouer oure heade, & oure trespaces are waxen greate vnto ye heaue. 7Sence the tyme of oure fathers haue we bene in greate trespace vnto this daie, and because of oure wickednesses haue we and or kynges bene delyuered in to the hande of ye kynges of the nacions, in to the swerde, in to captiuyte, in to spoyle, and in to confusion of face, as it is come to passe this daye. 8But now is there a litle and sodane graciousnes come from the LORDE oure God, so that some of vs are escaped, that he maie geue vs a nayle in his holy place, that oure God maye lighte oure eyes, and geue vs a litle lyfe in oure bondage. 9For we are bondmen, and or God hath not forsake vs though we be bondmen, and hath enclyned mercy vnto vs in the sighte of the kynges of Persia, that they shulde geue vs lyfe, and promote the house of oure God, and to sett vp the desolacion therof, and to geue vs an hedge in Iuda and Ierusalem.

10O oure God, what shall we saye now after this? that we haue forsaken thy commaundementes, 11which thou hast commaunded by thy seruauntes the prophetes, and saide: The londe wherin ye shal come to possesse it, is an vncleane londe thorow the fylthines of the people of the londes, in their abhominacions wherwith they haue made it full of vnclennes on euery syde. 12Therfore shal ye not geue youre doughters vnto their sonnes, and their doughters shall ye not take vnto youre sonnes, and seke not their peace and welth for euer, that ye maye be stronge, and enioye the good in the londe, and yt ye and youre children maye haue the inheritaunce of it for euermore. 13And after all this that is come vpon vs (because of oure euell dedes and greate trespace) thou oure God hast spared oure wickednesses, and hast geuen vs a delyueraunce as it is come to passe. 14As for vs, we haue turned backe, & haue let go thy commaundementes, to make contracte with the people of these abhominacions. Wilt thou then be wroth at vs, tyll we be vtterly consumed, so that nothynge remayne, and tyll there be no delyueraunce? 15O LORDE God of Israel, thou art righteous, for we remaine yet escaped, as it is this daie. Beholde, in thy presence are we in oure trespace, for because of it is there no stondinge before the.