1   When ^note as these things were done, the rulers came to me, saying, The people of Israel, and the Priestes, and the Leuites are not ^note separated from the people of the lands (as touching their abominations) to wit, of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Iebusites, the Ammonites, the Moabites, the Egyptians, and the Amorites.

2   For they haue taken their daughters to th&ebar;selues, and to their sonnes, and they haue mixed the holy seede with the people of the landes, and the hande of the ^note princes and rulers hath bene chiefe in this trespasse.

3   But when I heard this saying, I rent my clothes and my garment, and pluckt off the heare of mine head, and of my beard, and sate downe ^note astonied.

4   And there assembled vnto me all that feared the words of the God of Israel, because of the transgression of them of the captiuitie. And I sate downe astonied vntil the ^note euening sacrifice.

5   And at the euening sacrifice I arose vp fr&obar; mine heauinesse, and when I had rent my clothes and my garment, I fell vpon my knees, and spred out mine hands vnto the Lord my God,

6   And said, O my God, I am confounded & ashamed, to lift vp mine eyes vnto thee my God:

Ezras prayer. for our iniquities are increased ouer ^note our head, & our trespasse is growen vp vnto ^note the heauen.

7   From the dayes of our fathers haue we bin in a great trespasse vnto this day, and for our iniquities haue we, our Kings, & our Priestes bene deliuered into the hand of the kings of the lands, vnto the sword, into captiuitie, into a spoyle, and into confusion of face, as appeareth this day.

8   And now for a litle space grace hath bene shewed from the Lord our God, in causing a remnant to escape, & in giuing vs a ^note nayle in his holy place, that our God may light our eyes, & giue vs a litle reuiuing in our seruitude.

9   For though we were bondmen, yet our God hath not forsaken vs in our bondage, but hath enclined mercy vnto vs in the sight of the Kings of Persia, to giue vs life, & to erect the house of our God, & to redresse the places thereof, and to giue vs a wall in Iudah and in Ierusalem.

10   And nowe, our God, what shal we say after this? for we haue forsaken thy commandements,

11   Which thou hast commanded by thy seruants the Prophets, saying, ^note The land whereunto ye go to possesse it, is an vncleane land, because of the filthines of the people of the lands, which by their abominations, & by their vncleannes haue filled it from corner to corner.

12   Now therfore shal ye not giue your daughters vnto their sonnes, neither shall ye take their daughters vnto your sonnes, nor seeke their ^note peace nor wealth for euer, that yee may be strong and eate the goodnes of the lande, and leaue it for an inheritance to your sonnes for euer.

13   And after all that is come vpon vs for our euill deedes, and for our great trespasses, (seeing that thou our God hast stayed vs from being beneath ^note for our iniquities, and hast giuen vs such deliuerance)

14   Should we returne to breake thy comm&abar;dements, and ioyne in affinitie with the people of such abominations? wouldest not thou be angrie towarde vs till thou haddest consumed vs, so that there should be no remnant nor any escaping?

15   O Lord God of Israel, thou art iust, for we haue bene ^note reserued to escape, as appeareth this day: beholde, we are before thee in our trespasse: therfore we c&abar;not stand before thee because of it.

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