Ezra 8-10

Chapter 9 begins with Ezra receiving the terrible news that many of the returning exiles had married women of the nations around them. They had abandoned God's standard of holiness chasing after their own choices. Verse 3 describes Ezra's reaction; rending his garment and cloak and pulling out his hair in sorrow. In verse 6 he begins a prayer of confession. As a leader he speaks about the sins of the assembly as if they were his own. In a picture of Christ's mission Ezra assigns himself with the sinfulness of the people, not by partaking of the infidelity but because he is a part of the nation. Because of Ezra's willingness to associate himself with the sin of Israel the people were led into repentance and corrective action was taken.
It took me about 15 minutes to read this passage.
Stuart