Ezra 9:14 (YLT)

Passage

do we turn back to break Thy commands, and to join ourselves in marriage with the people of these abominations? art not Thou angry against us--even to consumption--till there is no remnant and escaped part?

Nearby Context

Ezra 9:12 and now, your daughters ye do not give to their sons, and their daughters ye do not take to your sons, and ye do not seek their peace, and their good--unto the age, so that ye are strong, and have eaten the good of the land, and given possession to your sons unto the age.

Ezra 9:13 `And after all that hath come upon us for our evil works, and for our great guilt (for Thou, O our God, hast kept back of the rod from our iniquities, and hast given to us an escape like this),

Ezra 9:14 do we turn back to break Thy commands, and to join ourselves in marriage with the people of these abominations? art not Thou angry against us--even to consumption--till there is no remnant and escaped part?

Ezra 9:15 `O Jehovah, God of Israel, righteous <FI>art<Fi> Thou, for we have been left an escape, as <FI>it is<Fi> this day; lo, we <FI>are<Fi> before Thee in our guilt, for there is none to stand before Thee concerning this.'

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "turn", "back", "break", "commands", "join", "ourselves", "marriage", and "people". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "turn" and "back", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 13's "And after all that hath come upon..." into verse 15's "O Jehovah God of Israel righteous FI...", so "turn" and "back" belong inside that flow. In Ezra context, the local focus is covenant, worship, and faithfulness.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "turn" and "back" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.