9 After these things had been done, the leaders came to me and said, “The people of Israel, including the priests and the Levites, have not kept themselves separate from the neighboring peoples with their detestable practices, like those of the Canaanites, Hittites, Perizzites, Jebusites, Ammonites, Moabites, Egyptians and Amorites. 2 They have taken some of their daughters as wives for themselves and their sons, and have mingled the holy race with the peoples around them. And the leaders and officials have led the way in this unfaithfulness.”
3 When I heard this, I tore my tunic and cloak, pulled hair from my head and beard and sat down appalled. 4 Then everyone who trembled at the words of the God of Israel gathered around me because of this unfaithfulness of the exiles. And I sat there appalled until the evening sacrifice.
5 Then, at the evening sacrifice, I rose from my self-abasement, with my tunic and cloak torn, and fell on my knees with my hands spread out to the Lord my God 6 and prayed:
“I am too ashamed and disgraced, my God, to lift up my face to you, because our sins are higher than our heads and our guilt has reached to the heavens. 7 From the days of our ancestors until now, our guilt has been great. Because of our sins, we and our kings and our priests have been subjected to the sword and captivity, to pillage and humiliation at the hand of foreign kings, as it is today. 8 “But now, for a brief moment, the Lord our God has been gracious in leaving us a remnant and giving us a firm place[a] in his sanctuary, and so our God gives light to our eyes and a little relief in our bondage. 9 Though we are slaves, our God has not forsaken us in our bondage. He has shown us kindness in the sight of the kings of Persia: He has granted us new life to rebuild the house of our God and repair its ruins, and he has given us a wall of protection in Judah and Jerusalem. 10 “But now, our God, what can we say after this? For we have forsaken the commands 11 you gave through your servants the prophets when you said: ‘The land you are entering to possess is a land polluted by the corruption of its peoples. By their detestable practices they have filled it with their impurity from one end to the other. 12 Therefore, do not give your daughters in marriage to their sons or take their daughters for your sons. Do not seek a treaty of friendship with them at any time, that you may be strong and eat the good things of the land and leave it to your children as an everlasting inheritance.’ 13 “What has happened to us is a result of our evil deeds and our great guilt, and yet, our God, you have punished us less than our sins deserved and have given us a remnant like this. 14 Shall we then break your commands again and intermarry with the peoples who commit such detestable practices? Would you not be angry enough with us to destroy us, leaving us no remnant or survivor? 15 Lord, the God of Israel, you are righteous! We are left this day as a remnant. Here we are before you in our guilt, though because of it not one of us can stand in your presence.”
Shalom Gesica, thanks for your comment. Since my awakening, I feel a bit torn because I've taught my children to date within their race, feeling as though Ezra Chapter 9 & 10 justifies this. There is no doubt in my heart that all nations who love the Most High should worship together, pray together and love each other.....but marrying and having children? Have we gone too far as a nation when we do this? Are we being disobedient? Maybe if someone was married to a different nation before their awakening then yes they probably would keep their husband/wife, especially if they're both in the truth. But after an awakening, can one now go out and marry other nations or is that being disobedient/breaking the law? I really would like someone to break down Ezra Chapter 9 & 10. What's the purpose for the women of ZION if we're being replaced by the other nations, same for the men of ZION? Please pray for me. Anyway, thanks Sis.
Shalom Sister Allison, I may be misunderstanding what it says but it reads as though the People around the Israelites were the other nations and we were not to “give your daughters in marriage to their sons or take their daughters for your sons. Do not seek a treaty of friendship with them at any time.” I also realize that times have changed where the Israelites were raped and pillaged so maybe the bloodlines are not as clear and clean cut as they were. So is it now where whoever loves YASHAYA? I would love to hear some other interpretation/thoughts!