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Even in our bondage we were not forsaken by our Lord, but he brought us into favor with the kings of the Persians, so that they have given us food
81
and glorified the temple of our Lord, and raised Zion from desolation, to give us a stronghold in Judea and Jerusalem.
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"And now, O Lord, what shall we say, when we have these things? For we have transgressed your commandments, which you gave by your servants the prophets, saying,
83
"The land that you are entering to take possession of is a land polluted with the pollution of the aliens of the land, and they have filled it with their uncleanness.
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Therefore do not give your daughters in marriage to their descendants, and do not take their daughters for your descendants;
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do not seek ever to have peace with them, so that you may be strong and eat the good things of the land and leave it for an inheritance to your children forever.'
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And all that has happened to us has come about because of our evil deeds and our great sins. For you, O Lord, lifted the burden of our sins
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and gave us such a root as this; but we turned back again to transgress your law by mixing with the uncleanness of the peoples of the land.
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Were you not angry enough with us to destroy us without leaving a root or seed or name?
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O Lord of Israel, you are faithful; for we are left as a root to this day.
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See, we are now before you in our iniquities; for we can no longer stand in your presence because of these things."