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From: Ezra 9:5-9

Ezra is pained to find the law ignored

[5] And at the evening sacrifice I rose from my fasting, with my garments and my
mantle rent, and fell upon my knees and spread out my hands to the Lord my
God, [6] saying:

“O my God, I am ashamed and blush to lift my face to thee, my God, for our iniqui-
ties have risen higher than our heads, and our guilt has mounted up to the
heavens. [7] From the days of our fathers to this day we have been in great
guilt; and for 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, to plundering, and to
utter shame, as at this day. [8] But now for a brief moment favour has been
shown by the Lord our God, to leave us a remnant, and to give us a secure hold
within this holy place, that our God may brighten our eyes and grant us a little
reviving in our bondage. [9] For we are bondmen; yet our God has not forsaken
us in our bondage, but has extended to us his steadfast love before the kings of
Persia, to grant us some reviving to set up the house of our God, to repair its
ruins, and to give us protection in Judea and Jerusalem.

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Commentary:

9:1-15. Ezra is deeply distressed to find that the people of God have intermarried
with the local inhabitants, who do not belong to the people of God (the Law for-
bade such marriages: cf. Deut 7:3-4); Ezra acknowledges this sin and does
penance for it.

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Source: “The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries”. Biblical text from the
Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries by members of
the Faculty of Theology, University of Navarre, Spain.

Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland, and
by Scepter Publishers in the United States.