1Now after these things were done, the leaders came to me, saying, “The people of Israel, the priests, and the Levites, have not kept themselves separate from the people of these lands, but have adopted some of the abominable practices of the Canaanites, Hittites, Perizzites, Jebusites, Ammonites, Moabites, Egyptians, and Amorites. 2They have taken some of their daughters for their wives, and their sons’ wives, so that the holy seed has intermingled with the pagans of those lands; indeed, the leaders and rulers have been the worst offenders in this trespass.” 3And when I heard this, I tore my tunic and my cloak, and pulled hair off my head and my beard, and sat down appalled. 4Then all who trembled at the words of the God of Israel gathered around me because of this outrage committed by the returned exiles; and I sat appalled until the evening sacrifice.

5Then, at the evening sacrifice, I arose from where I had sat in my humiliation, with torn tunic and cloak, and fell on my knees, and spread my hands to the LORD, my God, 6And said, “O my God, I am ashamed and embarrassed to lift my face to You, because our sins are higher than our heads, and our guilt reaches up to the heavens. 7From the days of our ancestors until this day, we have been immersed in great sins; and for those sins, we, our kings, and our priests, have been handed over to the kings of these lands, to the sword, to captivity, to plundering, and complete shame, as it is today. 8And now, for a brief moment, grace from You, LORD, our God, has been shown to us in leaving us a remnant to escape, and to give us a nail (secure hold) in His holy place, that our God may enlighten our eyes, and give us a little relief from our bondage. 9For we were slaves; yet our God has not forsaken us in our bondage, but has extended mercy to us in the sight of the kings of Persia, to give us blessing and opportunity to rebuild the Temple of our God, and to repair its desolations, and to give us a wall (of protection) in Judah and in Jerusalem. 10But now, O our God, what shall we say after this? For we have forsaken Your commandments, 11Which You have given by Your servants, the prophets: ‘The land you are entering to possess is a land polluted by the corruption of its people; and their abominations have filled it from one end to the other with their filth. 12Now, therefore, do not give your daughters to their sons, nor take their daughters for your sons, nor seek their peace or prosperity by treaties with them, but remain strong in your faith. Eat the good of the land, and leave it for an inheritance to your children forever.’ 13And after all that has happened to us because of our evil deeds and guilt, You, our God, have punished us less than our iniquities deserve, and You have given us such deliverance as this, 14Should we again break Your commandments, and intermarry with the people of these abominations? Would You not be angry with us till You had destroyed us, so that there should be no remaining survivor? 15O LORD God of Israel, You are righteous and just; we are left a remnanted today as survivors. Behold, here we are before You in our guilt; but no one can stand before You because of this.”