Reportedly, Priests & Levites were Marrying Those Who Worship False Gods |
Ezra 9:1-15 The Book of Ezra in [Smaller Chunks] |
Now, when these things were done, the princes came to me, saying, The people of Israel, the priests & the Levites haven't separated themselves from the people of the [land & stopped from] doing their abominations, even of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Jebusites, the Ammonites, the Moabites, the Egyptians & the Amorites. |
[Deuteronomy 12:30-31 [Pay attention] to yourself, that you [aren't] snared by following them, after they [are] destroyed from before you & that you [don't inquire] after their gods, saying, How did these nations serve their gods? Even I will do so, likewise. Thou shall not do [this] to the Lord your God. For every abomination to the Lord, [that] He hates, they have done to their gods: for they have even burnt their sons & daughters in the fire to their gods.] |
For they have taken of their daughters for themselves & for their sons: so that the holy seed have mingled themselves with the people of those lands. [Yet] the hand of the princes & rulers have been [the main ones involved] in this [sin.] |
When I heard this thing, I [tore] my [clothes & coat] & [pulled out] the hair of my head & beard & sat down [astonished.] then, everyone [who] trembled at the Words of the God of Israel, were assembled to me, because of the [sins] of those [who] had been carried away [captive.] |
And I sat [there astonished] until the evening sacrifice. And at the evening sacrifice, I arose from my [fasting] & having [torn] my [clothing & coat] & I fell upon my knees & spread out my hands to the Lord my God. |
[I] said, O my God, I'm ashamed & blush to lift up my face to You, my God. For our iniquities have increased over our [heads] & our trespasses [have] grown up to the heavens. [Revelation 18:5 For her sins have reached unto heaven & God has remembered her iniquities.] |
Since the days of our [forefathers,] we have [sinned greatly until] this day. [Because of] our [sins,] we & our kings & priests [have] been delivered into the hand of the kings of the land, to the sword, to captivity & to [be plundered] & to confusion, as it is this day. |
And for a [brief moment] now, grace has been [shown] to us from the Lord our God, [Who has left] us [some remaining] to escape & to give us [time] in His Holy Place, [so] that our God may [enlighten] our eyes & [revive] us a little in our bondage. [Psalm 27:1 The Lord is my Light & my Salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?] |
For we were [men in bondage;] yet our God hasn't [abandoned] us in our bondage, but has extended mercy to us in the sight of the kings of Persia, to [revive] us, to [put] up the the house of our God & to repair [its desolate & empty places] & to give us a wall in Judah & in Jerusalem. |
And now, what shall we say after this, O our God? For we have [abandoned] Your commandments, which You commanded us [through] Your servants, the prophets, saying, The land [that] you go to possess, is an unclean land with the filthiness of the abominations of the people [who] have filled [the land] from one end to another with their uncleanness. |
[Psalm 106:35-38 But were mingled among the heathen & learned their [deeds.] And they served their idols: which were a snare to them. [Yes,] they sacrificed their daughters to [demons] & shed innocent blood, even the blood of their sons & daughters, whom they sacrificed to the idols of Canaan & the land was polluted, [a.k.a. defiled,] with blood.] |
Therefore, now [don't] give your daughters to their sons, nor take their daughters for your sons, nor seek their peace or their wealth, forever. [So] that you may be strong & eat the good of the land & leave it for an inheritance to your children forever. |
And after all that [has] come upon us for our evil deeds & our [immense sins,] seeing that You our God has punished us, less than our [sins] deserve & has given us a deliverance; [like] this; |
Should we break Your commandments again & join [together] with the people [who do] these abominations? Wouldn't You be angry with us [until] You have [destroyed] us, so that there [are none remaining] nor escaping? |
O Lord God of Israel, You are righteous. [Although,] we [still] remain escaped [from captivity, like] it is this day, [see] we are before You in our [sinfulness] & we can't stand before You, because of this. |