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And said, O my God, I am ashamed, and blush to lift vp my face to thee, my God: for our iniquities are increased ouer our head, and our trespasse is growen vp vnto the heauens.

And now for a litle space grace hath bene shewed from the Lord our God, to leaue vs a remnant to escape, and to giue vs a naile in his holy place, that our God may lighten our eyes, and giue vs a litle reuiuing in our bondage:

For wee were bondmen, yet our God hath not forsaken vs in our bondage, but hath extended mercie vnto vs in the sight of the kings of Persia, to giue vs a reuiuing to set vp the house of our God, and to repaire the desolations thereof, and to giue vs a wall in Iudah and in Ierusalem.

And now, O our God, what shal we say after this? for we haue forsaken thy commandements,

And after all that is come vpon vs, for our euill deeds, and for our great trespasse, seeing that thou, our God, hast punished vs lesse, then our iniquities deserue, and hast giuen vs such deliuerance as this:

O Lord God of Israel, thou art righteous, for wee remaine yet escaped, as it is this day: Behold, we are before thee in our trespasses: for wee can not stand before thee, because of this.

Now when Ezra had praised, and when he had confessed, weeping, and casting himselfe downe before the house of God, there assembled vnto him out of Israel, a very great congregation of men, and women, and children: for the people wept very sore.

And Shechaniah the sonne of Iehiel, one of the sonnes of Elam, answered and said vnto Ezra, Wee haue trespassed against our God, and haue taken strange wiues, of the people of the land: yet now there is hope in Israel concerning this thing.

Now therefore let vs make a couenant with our God, to put away all the wiues, & such as are borne of them, according to the counsell of my lord, and of those that tremble at the commandement of our God, and lee it be done according to the Law.

Then Ezra rose vp from before the house of God, and went into the chamber of Iohanan, the sonne of Eliashib: and when hee came thither, hee did eate no bread, nor drinke water: for hee mourned because of the transgression of them that had bene caried away.

Then all the men of Iudah and Beniamin, gathered themselues together vnto Ierusalem, within three dayes: it was the ninth moneth, on the twentieth day of the moneth, and all the people sate in the streete of the house of God, trembling because of this matter, and for the great raine.

Now therefore make confession vnto the Lord God of your fathers, and doe his pleasure: and separate your selues from the people of the land, and from the strange wiues.

Let now our rulers of all the congregation stand, and let all them which haue taken strange wiues in our cities, come at appointed times, & with them the Elders of euery citie, and the Iudges thereof; vntill the fierce wrath of our God for this matter, be turned from vs.

And it came to passe when I heard these words, that I sate downe and wept, and mourned certaine dayes, and fasted, and prayed before the God of heauen,

And said, I beseech thee, O Lord God of heauen, the great and terrible God, that keepeth couenant and mercie for them that loue him, and obserue his commandements:

Then the king said vnto me, For what doest thou make request? So I prayed to the God of heauen.

And a letter vnto Asaph the keeper of the kings forrest, that he may giue me timber to make beames for the gates of the palace which appertained to the house, and for the wall of the Citie, and for the house that I shall enter into: And the king granted me, according to the good hand of my God vpon me.

And I arose in the night, I, and some few men with mee, neither tolde I any man what God had put in my heart to doe at Ierusalem: neither was there any beast with mee, saue the beast that I rode vpon.

Then I told them of the hand of my God, which was good vpon me; as also the kings wordes that he had spoken vnto me. And they said, Let vs rise vp and builde. So they strengthened their hands for this good worke.

Then answered I them, and said vnto them, The God of heauen, he will prosper vs, therefore wee his seruants will arise and build: But you haue no portion, nor right, nor memoriall in Ierusalem.