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From: Ezra 9:5-9
Ezra is pained to find the law ignored
“O my God, I am ashamed and blush to lift my face to thee, my God, for our ini-
quities 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 bon-
dage, 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.