The most sacred Bible, whiche is the Holy Scripture conteyning the Old and New Testament / translated into English, and newly recognised with great diligence after most faythful exemplars, by Rychard Taverner.

¶ Esoras complayneth on the people, that had tur∣ned themselues from God, and entermaryed with the gentyles.

CAPI. IX.

WHen all this was performed, the rulers cam to me, and sayde: the people of Is∣raell [ A] and the Preestes and Leuites are not seuered from the nacions in the landes as touchyng their abhominacions, namely of the Cananites, Hethites, Pheresites, Iebusites, Ammonites, Moabites, Egyptians, and A∣morites.* 1.1 For they haue taken theyr dough∣ters, and their sonnes / and haue myxte the ho∣lye seed with the nacyons of the landes: and moreouer the hande of the prynces and rulers hath ben pryncypall in this trespace. * When I herde this. I tare my clothes and my ray∣ment, and plucte of the heere of my heed and of my berde, and sat mournynge. Then resor∣ted vnto me all suche as feared the worde of the Lorde God of Israel, bycause of the great

transgression. And I sate mournynge tyll the euenynge sacrifyce. And aboute the euenynge sacrifice, I rose vp fro my heuynesse, and rente my clothes and my rayment, and fell vpon my knees, and spred out my handes vnto y^e Lorde [ B] my God, and sayd. My God, I am asshamed, and dare not lyfte vp myne eyes vnto the my God: for our wyckednesses are growen ouer our heed, & our trespaces are waxen great vnto the heuen: Sithēs the tyme our fathers, haue we ben in great trespace vnto this daye,* 1.2 and bicause of oure wyckednesse haue we and oure kynges ben gyuen vp in to the hande of y^e kyn∣ges of the nacions in to the swerde, in to bon∣dage, in to spoyle, and in to confusion of face, as it is come to passe this daye.

[ C] But now a litle and sodayne graciousnes is come from the Lord our God, so that some of vs are escaped, that he maye giue vs a nayle in his holy place, that our God maye lyght oure eyes, and gyue vs a lytle lyfe in oure bondage. For we are bondmen, and our God hathe not forsaken vs in our bondage, but hath enclyned mercy vnto vs in y^e sight of the kinges of Per∣sia, that he sholde gyue vs lyfe, & auaunce the house of our God, and buylde vp the desolate places therof, and to gyue vs an hedge in Iu∣da and Ierusalem.

And nowe, O our God: what shall we saye after this? for we haue forsaken thy commaū∣dementes, whiche thou haste commaunded by thy seruauntes the Prophetes, and sayd: The lande vnto whiche ye go to possesse,* 1.3 is vnclene thorow the filthynesse of the people of the lan¦des, by their abhominacions wherwith they haue filled it with vnclennes on euerye syde. [ D] Therfore ye shall not gyue your doughters to their sonnes, and their doughters shall ye not take vnto your sonnes, and seke not their peax and welthe for euer, that ye maye be stronge and enioye the good in the lande, and that ye and your chyldren may haue the inheritaunce of it for euermore.

And after all this that is come vpon vs, by∣cause of our euyl dedes and great trespace thou our God hast spared oure wyckednesses, and hast gyuen vs a delyueraunce as it is come to passe this daye.

And neuerthelesse we haue tourned backe, and haue let goo thy commaundementes, to make contracte with the people of these abho∣minacions. Wylte thou then be wrothe with vs, tyll we be vtterly consumed, so that no∣thynge remayne, and tyll there be no delyue∣raunce? O Lorde God of Israel thou art righ∣tous / for we remayne yet escaped, as it is this daye. Beholde in thy presence are we in oure trespace, for bycause of it there is no standyng before the.

Notes

• * 1.1

  〈…〉〈…〉
• * 1.2

  〈◊〉〈◊〉 viii. d
• * 1.3

  〈◊〉〈◊〉 .vii. a