The Israelites Confess Their Sins

9 On the twenty-fourth day of the same month, the Israelites gathered together, fasting and wearing sackcloth and putting dust on their heads.^{(A) 2} Those of Israelite descent had separated themselves from all foreigners.^(B) They stood in their places and confessed their sins and the sins of their ancestors.^{(C) 3} They stood where they were and read from the Book of the Law of the Lord their God for a quarter of the day, and spent another quarter in confession and in worshiping the Lord their God.