9:4a Then everyone who trembled at the words of the God of Israel gathered around me
Then people who obey/honor the words/law of the God of Israel gathered around me
-or-
All those who carefully follow the commands of our (incl.) God came close to me ⌊to share/join in my shame⌋.
9:4b because of the unfaithfulness of the exiles,
because ⌊they too were grieved/troubled that⌋ those who returned ⌊to Judah⌋ had not been loyal/true.
-or-
⌊They too were grieved/sad⌋ that those who had ⌊previously⌋ returned from captivity ⌊in Babylon⌋ had broken covenant/agreement ⌊with God⌋.
9:4c while I sat there in horror until the evening offering.
And I sat there in shock until the time for the evening sacrifice.
-or-
I continued sitting ⌊in silence and⌋ with grief/sadness until evening, when it was time to give/offer sacrifices ⌊at the temple⌋.
9:4a-c (reordered)
Because those who had returned were not faithful/obedient to the words of God, those people who carefully obeyed the words of God joined me while I sat there in shock until evening.
-or-
Until the evening prayer I sat there ⌊in silence⌋ and felt grieved/shattered inside. The strict followers of God’s law gathered around me because ⌊they were also concerned/ashamed about⌋ this sin of those who returned from Babylon to Judah.
9:3b-4c (reordered)
Then I sat down in shock and was silent. I stayed like that until the time of the evening sacrifice at the temple. During that time, other people who place high value on the word/law of the God of Israel came near and did the same. ⌊They also were grieved/sad⌋ because some of the Jews who had returned to Judah were not loyal/true to God.
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