Ezra 10:2
And Shechaniah the son of Jehiel, one of the sons of Elam, answered and said unto Ezra, We have trespassed against our God, and have taken strange wives of the people of the land: yet now there is hope in Israel concerning this thing.
Original Language Analysis
Cross References
Historical Context
Intermarriage with Canaanites had been Israel's recurring sin throughout its history. The pattern appears in Judges repeatedly: Israelites marry Canaanites, adopt idolatry, suffer oppression, cry out, and experience deliverance—only to repeat the cycle. The post-exilic community faced the same temptation despite having just returned from exile caused partly by this very sin (Ezra 9:7).
The stringent response to mixed marriages (dissolving them, Ezra 10:3) seems harsh to modern readers but reflected survival necessity. The community was small, vulnerable, and surrounded by paganism. Compromise would lead to assimilation and loss of covenant identity. The issue wasn't ethnic purity but religious faithfulness. Converts to Judaism could and did join Israel (Ezra 6:21), but syncretistic marriages threatened the community's survival.
Shechaniah's willingness to lead confession despite personal cost (his own family included violators, Ezra 10:26) demonstrated courage and covenant loyalty. His leadership helped transform a crisis into a renewal opportunity, showing how individuals can catalyze corporate repentance when they prioritize God's honor over personal comfort or family loyalty.
Questions for Reflection
- How does Shechaniah's confession model the balance between acknowledging sin's severity and trusting God's mercy?
- What does the phrase 'yet now there is hope' teach about the possibility of restoration after serious covenant violation?
- How can churches cultivate cultures where confession leads to hope rather than mere condemnation?
Analysis & Commentary
And Shechaniah the son of Jehiel, one of the sons of Bani, answered and said unto Ezra, We have trespassed against our God, and have taken strange wives of the people of the land: yet now there is hope in Israel concerning this thing. Shechaniah's confession demonstrates covenant awareness. The verb 'trespassed' (ma'alnu, מָעַלְנוּ) indicates breach of trust or faithlessness, not merely rule-breaking. The confession 'we have trespassed against our God' personalizes the offense—sin isn't merely social problem but violation of covenant relationship. The phrase 'strange wives' (nashim nochriyot, נָשִׁים נָכְרִיּוֹת) means 'foreign wives,' specifically pagan women whose religious allegiance threatened Israel's worship.
The crucial phrase 'yet now there is hope' introduces possibility of restoration despite sin. The Hebrew yesh miqwah (יֵשׁ מִקְוָה) means 'there exists hope' or 'there is ground for hope,' suggesting that confession creates opportunity for remedy. Hope doesn't minimize sin but trusts God's covenant mercy to restore upon repentance. This balanced theology acknowledges sin's severity while affirming God's gracious willingness to forgive and restore genuinely repentant sinners.
Theologically, this verse illustrates the gospel pattern: acknowledging sin precedes experiencing grace. Shechaniah didn't excuse ('everyone does it') or minimize ('it's not that bad') but confessed fully while trusting divine mercy. This models Reformed understanding that genuine repentance includes both contrition (sorrow over sin) and faith (trust in God's forgiveness). Hope exists not because sin is minor but because God is merciful.