Ezra 9:11

11 The commandments you gave us through your servants the prophets, said, 'The land you are going to take possession of has been polluted by its perverted people and by their disgusting practices that have filled it with wickedness from one end to another.

Ezra 9:11 Meaning and Commentary

Ezra 9:11

Which thou hast commanded by thy servants the prophets
Moses, and Joshua, and others, see ( Deuteronomy 7:3 ) ( Joshua 23:12 ) ( Judges 2:2 )

saying, the land, unto which ye go to possess it;
meaning the land of Canaan:

is an unclean land with the filthiness of the people of the lands,
with their abominations, which have filled it from one end to another
with their uncleanness;
which is to be understood not of their idolatries only, but of their incestuous marriages, and impure copulations, on which account the Lord spewed out the old inhabitants of it; for which reason the Jews ought to have been careful not to have defiled it again by similar practices; see ( Leviticus 18:1-30 ) .

Ezra 9:11 In-Context

9 We are slaves, but our God hasn't abandoned us in our slavery. Instead, he has made the kings of Persia treat us kindly. He did this to give us an opportunity to rebuild our God's temple and restore its ruins and to give us a protective wall in Judah and Jerusalem.

10 "And now, our God, what can we say after all this? We have abandoned your commandments!

11 The commandments you gave us through your servants the prophets, said, 'The land you are going to take possession of has been polluted by its perverted people and by their disgusting practices that have filled it with wickedness from one end to another.

12 So never let your daughters marry their sons or your sons marry their daughters, and never seek peace or trade with them. Then you will be strong, be able to eat the good things the land produces, and be able to give this land as a long-lasting inheritance to your children.'

13 "After all that has happened to us because of the evil things we have done and because of our overwhelming guilt, you, our God, have punished us far less than we deserve and have permitted a few of us to survive.