Ezra 10: Israel’s Repentance and Separation – Clear & Engaging Audio Bible Reading | Confession of Sin, Separation from Foreign Wives, and God’s Mercy

Immerse yourself in the powerful events of Ezra 10 with this clear and engaging audio recording. Follow Israel’s repentance and separation from their foreign wives as they confess their sins before the Lord. Dive into the themes of holiness, mercy, and the consequences of disobedience. Perfect for study, reflection, or meditation, let the Scriptures come alive and transform your heart.

EZRA 10 (NIV)

1 While Ezra was praying and confessing, weeping and throwing himself down
before the house of God, a large crowd of Israelites—men, women and
children—gathered around him. They too wept bitterly.

2 Then Shekaniah son of
Jehiel, one of the descendants of Elam, said to Ezra, “We have been unfaithful
to our God by marrying foreign women from the peoples around us. But in spite
of this, there is still hope for Israel.

3 Now let us make a covenant before
our God to send away all these women and their children, in accordance with
the counsel of my lord and of those who fear the commands of our God. Let it
be done according to the Law.

4 Rise up; this matter is in your hands. We will
support you, so take courage and do it.”

5 So Ezra rose up and put the leading priests and Levites and all Israel under
oath to do what had been suggested. And they took the oath.

6 Then Ezra
withdrew from before the house of God and went to the room of Jehohanan son of
Eliashib. While he was there, he ate no food and drank no water, because he
continued to mourn over the unfaithfulness of the exiles.

7 A proclamation was then issued throughout Judah and Jerusalem for all the
exiles to assemble in Jerusalem.

8 Anyone who failed to appear within three
days would forfeit all his property, in accordance with the decision of the
officials and elders, and would himself be expelled from the assembly of the
exiles.

9 Within the three days, all the men of Judah and Benjamin had gathered in
Jerusalem. And on the twentieth day of the ninth month, all the people were
sitting in the square before the house of God, greatly distressed by the
occasion and because of the rain.

10 Then Ezra the priest stood up and said to
them, “You have been unfaithful; you have married foreign women, adding to
Israel’s guilt.

11 Now honor the Lord, the God of your ancestors, and do his
will. Separate yourselves from the peoples around you and from your foreign
wives.”

12 The whole assembly responded with a loud voice: “You are right! We must do
as you say.

13 But there are many people here and it is the rainy season; so
we cannot stand outside. Besides, this matter cannot be taken care of in a day
or two, because we have sinned greatly in this thing.

14 Let our officials act
for the whole assembly. Then let everyone in our towns who has married a
foreign woman come at a set time, along with the elders and judges of each
town, until the fierce anger of our God in this matter is turned away from
us.”

15 Only Jonathan son of Asahel and Jahzeiah son of Tikvah, supported by
Meshullam and Shabbethai the Levite, opposed this.

16 So the exiles did as was proposed. Ezra the priest selected men who were
family heads, one from each family division, and all of them designated by
name. On the first day of the tenth month they sat down to investigate the
cases,

17 and by the first day of the first month they finished dealing with
all the men who had married foreign women.

18 Among the descendants of the priests, the following had married foreign
women:
From the descendants of Joshua son of Jozadak, and his brothers: Maaseiah,
Eliezer, Jarib and Gedaliah.

19 (They all gave their hands in pledge to put
away their wives, and for their guilt they each presented a ram from the flock
as a guilt offering.)

20 From the descendants of Immer:
Hanani and Zebadiah.

21 From the descendants of Harim:
Maaseiah, Elijah, Shemaiah, Jehiel and Uzziah.

22 From the descendants of Pashhur:
Elioenai, Maaseiah, Ishmael, Nethanel, Jozabad and Elasah.

23 Among the Levites:
Jozabad, Shimei, Kelaiah (that is, Kelita), Pethahiah, Judah and Eliezer.

24 From the musicians:
Eliashib.
From the gatekeepers:
Shallum, Telem and Uri.

25 And among the other Israelites:
From the descendants of Parosh:
Ramiah, Izziah, Malkijah, Mijamin, Eleazar, Malkijah and Benaiah.

26 From the descendants of Elam:
Mattaniah, Zechariah, Jehiel, Abdi, Jeremoth and Elijah.

27 From the descendants of Zattu:
Elioenai, Eliashib, Mattaniah, Jeremoth, Zabad and Aziza.

28 From the descendants of Bebai:
Jehohanan, Hananiah, Zabbai and Athlai.

29 From the descendants of Bani:
Meshullam, Malluk, Adaiah, Jashub, Sheal and Jeremoth.

30 From the descendants of Pahath-Moab:
Adna, Kelal, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattaniah, Bezalel, Binnui and Manasseh.

31 From the descendants of Harim:
Eliezer, Ishijah, Malkijah, Shemaiah, Shimeon,

32 Benjamin, Malluk and
Shemariah.

33 From the descendants of Hashum:
Mattenai, Mattattah, Zabad, Eliphelet, Jeremai, Manasseh and Shimei.

34 From the descendants of Bani:
Maadai, Amram, Uel,

35 Benaiah, Bedeiah, Keluhi,

36 Vaniah, Meremoth,
Eliashib,

37 Mattaniah, Mattenai and Jaasu.

38 From the descendants of Binnui:
Shimei,

39 Shelemiah, Nathan, Adaiah,

40 Maknadebai, Shashai, Sharai,

41
Azarel, Shelemiah, Shemariah,

42 Shallum, Amariah and Joseph.

43 From the descendants of Nebo:
Jeiel, Mattithiah, Zabad, Zebina, Jaddai, Joel and Benaiah.

44 All these had married foreign women, and some of them had children by these
wives.