⁹ We are slaves, but our Elohim hasn’t abandoned us in our slavery. Instead, he has made the kings of Persia treat us kindly. He did this to give us an opportunity to rebuild our Elohim’s temple and restore its ruins and to give us a protective wall in Judah and Jerusalem.

¹⁰ “And now, our Elohim, what can we say after all this? We have abandoned your commandments! ¹¹ The commandments you gave us through your servants the prophets, said, ‘The land you are going to take possession of has been polluted by its perverted people and by their disgusting practices that have filled it with wickedness from one end to another.