Ezra 9 - Summary

After these things, the officials reported to Ezra that the people, priests, and Levites had not separated themselves from the surrounding peoples but had intermarried with Canaanites, Hittites, Perizzites, Jebusites, Ammonites, Moabites, Egyptians, and Amorites, with the leaders and officials being foremost in this faithlessness. Appalled, Ezra tore his garments and robe, pulled hair from his head and beard, and sat desolate until the evening sacrifice, when he fell on his knees with hands spread toward heaven in prayer. His prayer confessed deep shame that despite God's gracious deliverance from exile through the favor of Persian kings allowing them to rebuild the temple, they had again forsaken God's commandments against intermarriage with the peoples whose abominations had defiled the land; Ezra acknowledged they could not stand before God because of their guilt.