91 Now when these things had been completed , the princes approached me, saying , "The people of Israel and the priests and the Levites have not separated themselves from the peoples of the lands , according to their abominations , those of the Canaanites , the Hittites , the Perizzites , the Jebusites , the Ammonites , the Moabites , the Egyptians and the Amorites . 2 "For they have taken some of their daughters as wives for themselves and for their sons , so that the holy race has intermingled with the peoples of the lands ; indeed, the hands of the princes and the rulers have been foremost in this unfaithfulness ." 3 When I heard about this matter , I tore my garment and my robe , and pulled some of the hair from my head and my beard , and sat down appalled . 4 Then everyone who trembled at the words of the God of Israel on account of the unfaithfulness of the exiles gathered to me, and I sat appalled until the evening offering .
5 But at the evening offering I arose from my humiliation , even with my garment and my robe torn , and I fell on my knees and stretched out my hands to the Lord my God ; 6 and I said , "O my God , I am ashamed and embarrassed to lift up my face to You, my God , for our iniquities have risen above our heads and our guilt has grown even to the heavens . 7 " Since the days of our fathers to this day we have been in great guilt , and on account of our iniquities we, our kings and our priests have been given into the hand of the kings of the lands , to the sword , to captivity and to plunder and to open shame , as it is this day . 8 "But now for a brief moment grace has been shown from the Lord our God , to leave us an escaped remnant and to give us a peg in His holy place , that our God may enlighten our eyes and grant us a little reviving in our bondage . 9 " For we are slaves ; yet in our bondage our God has not forsaken us, but has extended lovingkindness to us in the sight of the kings of Persia , to give us reviving to raise up the house of our God , to restore its ruins and to give us a wall in Judah and Jerusalem . 10 "Now , our God , what shall we say after this ? For we have forsaken Your commandments , 11 which You have commanded by Your servants the prophets , saying , 'The land which you are entering to possess is an unclean land with the uncleanness of the peoples of the lands , with their abominations which have filled it from end to end and with their impurity . 12 'So now do not give your daughters to their sons nor take their daughters to your sons , and never seek their peace or their prosperity , that you may be strong and eat the good things of the land and leave it as an inheritance to your sons forever e .' 13 "After all that has come upon us for our evil deeds and our great guilt , since You our God have requited us less than our iniquities deserve, and have given us an escaped remnant as this , 14 shall we again break Your commandments and intermarry with the peoples who commit these abominations ? Would You not be angry with us to the point of destruction , until there is no remnant nor any who escape ? 15 "O Lord God of Israel , You are righteous , for we have been left an escaped remnant , as it is this day ; behold , we are before You in our guilt , for no one can stand before You because of this ."
