Now while Ezra prayed and made confession, weeping and casting himself down before the house of God, there was gathered together to him out of Yisra'el a very great assembly of men and women and children; for the people wept very sore.
They shall come with weeping; and with petitions will I lead them: I will cause them to walk by rivers of waters, in a straight way in which they shall not stumble; for I am a father to Yisra'el, and Efrayim is my firstborn.
I will pour on the house of David, and on the inhabitants of Yerushalayim, the spirit of grace and of supplication; and they will look to me whom they have pierced; and they shall mourn for him, as one mourns for his only son, and will grieve bitterly for him, as one grieves for his firstborn.
Standing behind at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears, and she wiped them with the hair of her head, kissed his feet, and anointed them with the ointment.
They gathered together to Mitzpah, and drew water, and poured it out before the LORD, and fasted on that day, and said there, *We have sinned against the LORD.* Shemu'el judged the children of Yisra'el in Mitzpah.