Maombi Ya Ezra Kuhusu Kuoa Wake Wa Kigeni
19:1 Neh 9:2; Mwa 19:38; Kum 20:17; Amu 3:5; Kum 12:30Baada ya mambo haya kutendeka, viongozi walinijia na kusema, “Watu wa Israeli, wakiwemo makuhani na Walawi, hawakujitenga na majirani zao katika kufanya machukizo, kama yale ya Wakanaani, Wahiti, Waperizi, Wayebusi, Waamoni, Wamoabu, Wamisri na Waamori. 29:2 Law 27:30; Ezr 10:2; 2Kor 6:14; Kut 22:31; Kum 7:3Wamewaoa baadhi ya binti zao kuwa wake zao na wake za wana wao, nao wamechanganya taifa takatifu na watu waliowazunguka. Nao viongozi na maafisa wamekuwa mstari wa mbele katika njia hii potovu.”
39:3 Isa 15:2; Za 143:4Niliposikia jambo hili nilirarua koti langu na joho langu, nikazingʼoa nywele za kichwa changu na ndevu zangu na kuketi nikishangaa. 49:4 Za 119:120; Isa 66:2-59:4 Ezr 10:3; Kut 29:39Kisha kila mmoja aliyetetemeshwa na maneno ya Mungu wa Israeli alikusanyika kunizunguka kwa sababu ya upotovu huu wa hao watu waliorudi kutoka utumwani. Nami niliketi pale nikishangaa mpaka wakati wa dhabihu ya jioni.
59:5 Kut 9:29; 29:41Ndipo wakati wa kutoa dhabihu ya jioni nikainuka kutoka kujidhili kwangu nikiwa na koti na joho langu lililoraruka, nikapiga magoti mikono yangu ikiwa imeinuliwa kwa Bwana Mungu wangu. 69:6 Ufu 18:5; Dan 9:7; Isa 59:12Nami nikaomba:
“Ee Mungu wangu, natahayari na kuona aibu kukuinulia uso wangu Mungu wangu, kwa sababu dhambi zetu zimejikusanya hata kupita juu ya vichwa vyetu na hatia yetu imefika mbinguni. 79:7 2Nya 29:6; Eze 21:1-32; Kum 28:36-64; Za 106:6; 2Nya 19:2; Mwa 18:19Tokea siku za babu zetu mpaka sasa, hatia yetu imekuwa kubwa. Kwa sababu ya dhambi zetu, sisi na wafalme wetu na makuhani wetu tumekabiliwa na vita, utumwa, kutekwa na kudhiliwa katika mikono ya wafalme wa kigeni, kama ilivyo leo.
89:8 Isa 33:2; Za 13:3; Mhu 12:11; Mwa 45:7; Isa 22:23; Za 19:8“Lakini sasa, kwa muda mfupi, Bwana Mungu wetu amekuwa na neema kwa kutuachia mabaki na kutupa mahali imara katika mahali pake patakatifu, hivyo Mungu wetu atupa mwanga machoni petu na unafuu katika utumwa wetu. 99:9 Neh 9:36; Kut 1:14; 2Fal 25:28; Zek 1:16-17; Ezr 7:28Ingawa tu watumwa, Mungu wetu hajatuacha katika kufungwa kwetu. Ametuonyesha huruma mbele ya wafalme wa Uajemi: Ametujalia maisha mapya kwa kujenga upya nyumba ya Mungu wetu na kukarabati magofu yake, naye ametupa ukuta wa ulinzi katika Yuda na Yerusalemu.
109:10 Kum 11:8; Isa 1:19-20“Lakini sasa, Ee Mungu wetu, tunaweza kusema nini baada ya hili? Kwa maana tumedharau maagizo 119:11 Law 18:25-28; Kum 18:9; 1Fal 14:24uliyoyatoa kupitia watumishi wako manabii uliposema: ‘Nchi mnayoiingia kuimiliki ni nchi iliyochafuliwa na uovu wa watu wake. Kwa matendo yao ya machukizo wameijaza nchi kwa unajisi wao kutoka mwisho mmoja hadi mwingine. 129:12 Kut 34:15; Kum 7:39:12 Mit 13:22; Kut 23:32-33; Amu 2:2; 2Pet 2:20; 2Kor 6:14Kwa hiyo, msiwaoze binti zenu kwa wana wao wala binti zao kwa wana wenu. Msitafute mkataba wa urafiki nao kwa wakati wowote. Ndipo mtakapofanikiwa na kula mema ya nchi na kuwaachia watoto wenu nchi hiyo kama urithi wao wa milele.’
139:13 Ay 15:5; Za 103:10“Yale yaliyotupata ni matokeo ya matendo yetu mabaya, pia hatia yetu kubwa. Hata hivyo, wewe Mungu wetu, umetuadhibu kidogo kuliko dhambi zetu zilivyostahili na umetupa mabaki kama haya. 149:14 Kum 9:8-14; Neh 13:27; Yn 5:14Je, tutavunja maagizo yako tena na kuoana na watu ambao hufanya mambo ya machukizo? Je, hutakuwa na hasira ya kutosha juu yetu na kutuangamiza, bila kutuachia mabaki wala atakayenusurika? 159:15 Neh 9:33; Za 51:4; Rum 3:19; Isa 24:16; 1Fal 8:47; Dan 9:14; Za 130:3Ee Bwana, Mungu wa Israeli, wewe ni mwenye haki! Leo hii tumeachwa kama mabaki. Tupo hapa mbele zako na hatia yetu, ingawa katika hali hii hakuna hata mmoja wetu anayeweza kusimama mbele zako.”
1Now when these things were done, the princes came to me, saying, The people of Israel, and the priests, and the Levites, have not separated themselves from the people of the lands, doing according to their abominations, even of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Jebusites, the Ammonites, the Moabites, the Egyptians, and the Amorites. 2For they have taken of their daughters for themselves, and for their sons: so that the holy seed have mingled themselves with the people of those lands: yea, the hand of the princes and rulers hath been chief in this trespass. 3And when I heard this thing, I rent my garment and my mantle, and plucked off the hair of my head and of my beard, and sat down astonied. 4Then were assembled unto me every one that trembled at the words of the God of Israel, because of the transgression of those that had been carried away; and I sat astonied until the evening sacrifice.
5¶ And at the evening sacrifice I arose up from my heaviness; and having rent my garment and my mantle, I fell upon my knees, and spread out my hands unto the LORD my God,9.5 heaviness: or, affliction 6And said, O my God, I am ashamed and blush to lift up my face to thee, my God: for our iniquities are increased over our head, and our trespass is grown up unto the heavens.9.6 trespass: or, guiltiness 7Since the days of our fathers have we been in a great trespass unto this day; and for our iniquities have we, our kings, and our priests, been delivered into the hand of the kings of the lands, to the sword, to captivity, and to a spoil, and to confusion of face, as it is this day. 8And now for a little space grace hath been shewed from the LORD our God, to leave us a remnant to escape, and to give us a nail in his holy place, that our God may lighten our eyes, and give us a little reviving in our bondage.9.8 space: Heb. moment9.8 a nail: or, a pin: that is, a constant and sure abode 9For we were bondmen; yet our God hath not forsaken us in our bondage, but hath extended mercy unto us in the sight of the kings of Persia, to give us a reviving, to set up the house of our God, and to repair the desolations thereof, and to give us a wall in Judah and in Jerusalem.9.9 to repair: Heb. to set up 10And now, O our God, what shall we say after this? for we have forsaken thy commandments, 11Which thou hast commanded by thy servants the prophets, saying, The land, unto which ye go to possess it, is an unclean land with the filthiness of the people of the lands, with their abominations, which have filled it from one end to another with their uncleanness.9.11 by: Heb. by the hand of9.11 from…: Heb. from mouth to mouth 12Now therefore give not your daughters unto their sons, neither take their daughters unto your sons, nor seek their peace or their wealth for ever: that ye may be strong, and eat the good of the land, and leave it for an inheritance to your children for ever. 13And after all that is come upon us for our evil deeds, and for our great trespass, seeing that thou our God hast punished us less than our iniquities deserve, and hast given us such deliverance as this;9.13 hast punished…: Heb. hast withheld beneath our iniquities 14Should we again break thy commandments, and join in affinity with the people of these abominations? wouldest not thou be angry with us till thou hadst consumed us, so that there should be no remnant nor escaping? 15O LORD God of Israel, thou art righteous: for we remain yet escaped, as it is this day: behold, we are before thee in our trespasses: for we cannot stand before thee because of this.
