8
"But now for a briefmomentgrace has been shown from the LORD our God, 1to leave us an escapedremnant and to give us a 2peg in His holyplace, that our God may 3enlighten our eyes and grant us a littlereviving in our bondage.
9
"4For we are slaves ; yet in our bondage our God has not forsaken us, but 5has extendedlovingkindness 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 sayafterthis ? For we have forsaken Your commandments,
11which You have commanded by Your servants the prophets, saying, 'The landwhich you are entering to possess is an uncleanland with the uncleanness of the peoples of the lands, with their abominationswhich have filled it from end to end and 6with their impurity.
12
'So now do not 7give your daughters to their sonsnortake their daughters to your sons, and 8neverseek their peace or their prosperity, that you may be strong and eat the good things of the land and 9leave it as an inheritance to your sonsforever .'
13"Afterall that has come upon us for our evildeeds and 10our greatguilt, since You our God have requited us lessthan our iniquities deserve, and have given us 11an escapedremnant as this,
1412shall we againbreak Your commandments and intermarry with the peoplesawho commit theseabominations ? 13Would You not be angry with us bto the point of destruction, untilthere is noremnantnor any who escape ?
15
"O LORDGod of Israel, 14You are righteous, for we have been left an escapedremnant, as it is thisday ; behold, we are before You in 15our guilt, for 16noone can standbefore You because of this."
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