Ezra 9:6

4 Then everyone who trembled at the words of the God of Israel gathered around me because of the unfaithfulness of the exiles, while I sat there in horror until the evening offering.

5 At the evening offering, I got up from my humiliation with my tunic and cloak torn, and I fell on my knees, spread out my hands to the LORD my God,

and said: “O my God, I am ashamed and embarrassed to lift up my face to You, my God, because our iniquities are higher than our heads, and our guilt has reached the heavens.

7 From the days of our fathers to this day, our guilt has been great. Because of our iniquities, we and our kings and priests have been delivered into the hands of the kings of the earth and put to the sword and captivity, to pillage and humiliation, as we are this day.

8 But now, for a brief moment, grace has come from the LORD our God to preserve for us a remnant and to give us a stake in His holy place. Even in our bondage, our God has given us new life and light to our eyes.

Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB
and said: “O my God, I am ashamed and embarrassed to lift up my face to You, my God, because our iniquities are higher than our heads, and our guilt has reached the heavens.
KJV
And 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.
WEB
and I said, “My God, I am ashamed and blush to lift up my face to you, my God, for our iniquities have increased over our head, and our guiltiness has grown up to the heavens.
ASV
and I 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 guiltiness is grown up unto the heavens.
DARBY
and 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 to the heavens.
BLB
and I said, “O my God, I am too ashamed and humiliated to lift up, my God, my face to You, for our iniquities have risen higher than the head, and our guilt has grown up as far as to the heavens.
ÅB
og sa: Min Gud! Jeg skammer meg og blues for å løfte mitt ansikt opp mot deg, min Gud! For våre misgjerninger er vokst oss over hodet, og vår skyld er blitt så stor at den når til himmelen.
OTB
og jeg ba: “Å min Gud, jeg skammer meg og er ydmyket over å løfte mitt ansikt til Deg, min Gud, for våre misgjerninger har steget over våre hoder, og vår skyld har nådd opp til himmelen.
B1930
og sa: Min Gud! Jeg skammer mig og blues for å løfte mitt ansikt op mot dig, min Gud! For våre misgjerninger er vokset oss over hodet, og vår skyld er blitt så stor at den når til himmelen.

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

  • Revelation 18:5

    For her sins are piled up to heaven, and God has remembered her iniquities.

    Read in context
  • Psalms 38:4

    For my iniquities have overwhelmed me; they are a burden too heavy to bear.

    Read in context
  • 2 Chronicles 28:9

    But a prophet of the LORD named Oded was there, and he went out to meet the army that returned to Samaria. “Look,” he said to them, “because of His wrath against Judah, the LORD, the God of your fathers, has delivered them into your hand. But you have slaughtered them in a rage that reaches up to heaven.

    Read in context
  • Ezra 9:15

    O LORD, God of Israel, You are righteous! For we remain this day as a remnant. Here we are before You in our guilt, though because of it no one can stand before You.”

    Read in context
  • Luke 15:21

    The son declared, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’

    Read in context
  • Job 42:6

    Therefore I retract my words, and I repent in dust and ashes.”

    Read in context
  • Jeremiah 3:24–25

    From our youth, that shameful god has consumed what our fathers have worked for— their flocks and herds, their sons and daughters.

    Read in context
  • Job 40:4

    “Behold, I am insignificant. How can I reply to You? I place my hand over my mouth.

    Read in context