Ezra 9:7-9 : 7 Since the days of our fathers we have been in a great trespass to this day; and because of our iniquities, we, our kings, and our priests, have been delivered into the hand of the kings of the lands, to the sword, to captivity, to spoil, and to confusion of face, as it is this day.
8 And now for a little while grace has been shown from the LORD our God, to leave us a remnant to escape, and to give us a peg in His holy place, that our God may enlighten our eyes and give us a little reviving in our bondage.
9 For we were bondservants, yet our God has not forsaken us in our bondage, but has extended mercy to us in the sight of the kings of Persia, to give us a reviving, to set up the house of our God, to repair its desolations, and to give us a wall in Judah and Jerusalem.
10 And now, O our God, what shall we say after this? For we have forsaken Your commandments,
11 Which You have commanded by Your servants the prophets, saying, The land unto which you go to possess it is an unclean land with the filthiness of the peoples of the lands, with their abominations, which have filled it from one end to another with their uncleanness.
12 Now therefore do not give your daughters to their sons, nor take their daughters for your sons, nor seek their peace or their wealth forever, that you may be strong and eat the good of the land, and leave it as an inheritance to your children forever.
13 And after all that has come upon us for our evil deeds and for our great trespass, seeing that You our God have punished us less than our iniquities deserve and have given us such deliverance as this;
14 Should we again break Your commandments and join in affinity with the peoples of these abominations? Would You not be angry with us until You had consumed us, so that there should be no remnant or escaping?
15 O LORD God of Israel, You are righteous, for we remain yet as escaped, as it is this day. Behold, we are before You in our trespasses, for we cannot stand before You because of this.