Should 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?
Should we break your commands again and intermarry with people who practice these detestable things? Wouldn't you be angry with us until you completely destroyed us, leaving no survivors or anyone to escape?
Ezra is expressing deep concern that if God's people repeat their past mistakes of disobeying God's commands, God's anger might lead to their complete destruction.
📚 Historical Context
In the book of Ezra, the Jewish people had returned from exile in Babylon and were working to rebuild their community and restore their faith in God. Ezra, a priest and scribe, was deeply troubled by the intermarriages between the returned exiles and the surrounding nations, whose practices involved idolatry and other behaviors forbidden by God's law. This verse comes from Ezra's prayer, where he expresses fear that such actions would provoke God's anger and lead to the complete destruction of the remnant of Israel.
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