83. All that has happened to us has resulted from our evil deeds and our great sins.
84. For you, Lord, removed our sins, and you gave us such a root as this. Yet we again turned away to disobey your Law by intermixing with the impure of the neighboring peoples.
85. Weren’t you angry enough with us to destroy us without leaving a root or a descendant or our honor?
86. Lord of Israel, you are true. We are left as a root this very day.
87. Look! We are now before you in our immorality. We can’t stand in your presence anymore because of these things.
88. While Ezra was praying and offering up his confession, weeping in the dust before the temple, a very large crowd of men, women, and youth from Jerusalem gathered around him. There was great weeping among the people.
89. Then Shecaniah, Jehiel’s son, one of the men of Israel, shouted to Ezra, "We have sinned against the Lord, and we have married foreign women from the neighboring peoples. Yet there is hope for Israel.
90. Let’s swear a pledge to the Lord about this matter, to divorce all of our foreign wives, with their children, as it seems just to you and to as many who follow the Lord’s Law.
91. Stand up and take part, for it is your duty, and we are with you to act with resolve."
92. Then Ezra stood up and made the leaders of the priests and Levites of all Israel swear to do as was said, and they swore that they would.