Shecaniah the son of Jehiel, one of the sons of Elam, answered Ezra, “We have trespassed against our God, and have married foreign women of the peoples of the land. Yet now there is hope for Israel concerning this thing.
Parallel Translations
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Shecaniah the son of Jehiel, one of the sons of Elam, answered Ezra, “We have trespassed against our God, and have married foreign women of the peoples of the land. Yet now there is hope for Israel concerning this thing.
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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.
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And Shecaniah the son of Jehiel, one of the sons of Elam, answered and said unto Ezra: 'We have broken faith with our God, and have married foreign women of the peoples of the land; yet now there is hope for Israel concerning this thing.
Cross-references (14)
Passages linked to Ezra 10:2 in the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge, ordered by reader-vote popularity; verse text shown in World English Bible.
- Nehemiah 13:27 Shall we then listen to you to do all this great evil, to trespass against our God in marrying foreign women?”
- Ezra 9:2 For they have taken of their daughters for themselves and for their sons, so that the holy offspring have mixed themselves with the peoples of the lands. Yes, the hand of the princes and rulers has been chief in this trespass.”
- Exodus 34:12 Be careful, lest you make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land where you are going, lest it be for a snare among you;
- Jeremiah 3:12-13 Go, and proclaim these words toward the north, and say, ‘Return, you backsliding Israel,’ says Yahweh; ‘I will not look in anger on you; for I am merciful,’ says Yahweh. ‘I will not keep anger forever. Only acknowledge your iniquity, that you have transgressed against Yahweh your God, and have scattered your ways to the strangers under every green tree, and you have not obeyed my voice,’ says Yahweh.”
- Exodus 34:6-7 Yahweh passed by before him, and proclaimed, “Yahweh! Yahweh, a merciful and gracious God, slow to anger, and abundant in loving kindness and truth, keeping loving kindness for thousands, forgiving iniquity and disobedience and sin; and who will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, and on the children’s children, on the third and on the fourth generation.”
- Ezra 10:26 Of the sons of Elam: Mattaniah, Zechariah, and Jehiel, and Abdi, and Jeremoth, and Elijah.
- Nehemiah 3:29 After them, Zadok the son of Immer made repairs across from his own house. After him, Shemaiah the son of Shecaniah, the keeper of the east gate made repairs.
- Isaiah 55:6-7 Seek Yahweh while he may be found. Call on him while he is near. Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts. Let him return to Yahweh, and he will have mercy on him, to our God, for he will freely pardon.
- James 2:9 But if you show partiality, you commit sin, being convicted by the law as transgressors.
- 1 John 1:7-9 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ, his Son, cleanses us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us the sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
- Ezra 2:7 The children of Elam, one thousand two hundred fifty-four.
- Ezra 2:31 The children of the other Elam, one thousand two hundred fifty-four.
- Nehemiah 7:12 The children of Elam: one thousand two hundred fifty-four.
- Nehemiah 7:34 The children of the other Elam: one thousand two hundred fifty-four.
Cross-references from openbible.info (CC BY 4.0)
Explain this verse (14 sources)
Historical commentary, presented as a primary source — not an endorsement.
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Geneva Bible translators 1599 · Public Domain Meaning, that God would receive them to mercy.
Meaning, that God would receive them to mercy.
Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain.
John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain Ezr 10:2 And Shechaniah the son of Jehiel, [one]…
Ezr 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.
Ver. 2. And Shechaniah the son of Jehiel] Egregie cordatus homo A prudent and a pious man, one that had feeding lips, and a healing tongue, one that knew how to time a word, and to set it upon the wheels, Isa 50:4 Pro 25:11.
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Answered and said unto Ezra] Such words as were uttered more from the bowels than the brain, and thereby proved so effectual.
We have trespassed against our God] His father Jehiel had taken a strange wife, Ezr 10:18; Ezr 10:26, so perhaps had he himself; or if not, yet he might fear wrath, because of the same body politic with those sinners against their own souls. God, he knew, might well draw blood of the arm for the cure of the head; as Theodoret saith he did when he slew Pharaoh’s first-born.
Yet now there is hope in Israel, &c.] Hope that the people will repent, and hope that God will have mercy, upon their repentance. Superest sperare salutem, He survives to hope for health. If it were not for hope the heart would break. God, having opened a door of hope, let us go boldly to the throne of grace; what should hinder?
“ Qui nil sperare potest, desperet nihil. ”
Who is able to hope for nothing, gives up hope for nothing. Cast not away your confidence, which hath so great recompence of reward; but cast anchor within the veil, and wait for day, as Paul did in the shipwreck. See Isa 50:10.
John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Matthew Poole 1685 · Public Domain He saith
He saith
we, either,
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1. Because he was guilty in this matter. Or rather,
2. In the name of the people, and their several families, and his own amongst the rest. For this man’s name is not in the following catalogue, but there we have his father, Jehiel, and his father’s brethren, five other sons of his grandfather Elam, Ezr 10:26. It was therefore an evidence of his great courage, and good conscience, that he durst so freely and fully discharge his duty, whereby he showed that he honored God more than his nearest and dearest relations.
There is hope concerning this thing, in case of our repentance and reformation. Therefore let us not sorrow like persons without hope, nor sit down in despair, but let us fall upon action, and amend our errors, and then trust to God’s mercy.
Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain And Shechaniah the son of Jehiel, one of the…
And Shechaniah the son of Jehiel, one of the sons of Elam, answered and said unto Ezra,.... This man seems to be one of those that now came with Ezra from Babylon, see Ezr 8:3,
we have trespassed against our God, and have taken strange wives of the people of the land; not that he had taken any himself, being but just come into the land, nor is his name in the list of those that had; but inasmuch as many of the nation, of which he was a part, and his own father, and several of his uncles had, Ezr 10:26, he expresses himself in this manner:
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yet now there is hope in Israel concerning this thing; of a reformation of this evil, and of pardon for it.
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
John Wesley 1765 · Public Domain We - He saith, we, in the name of…
We - He saith, we, in the name of the people, and their several families, and his own amongst the rest. For this man's name is not in the following catalogue, but there we have his father, Jehiel, and his father's brethren, five other sons of his grandfather, Elam, ver. 26. It was therefore an evidence of his great courage, and good conscience, that he durst so freely discharge his duty, whereby he shewed, that he honoured God more than his nearest and dearest relations. Hope - In case of our repentance, and reformation.
John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.
Adam Clarke 1810 · Public Domain Verse 2. Shechaniah the son of Jehiel] He speaks…
Verse 2. Shechaniah the son of Jehiel] He speaks here in the name of the people, not acknowledging himself culpable, for he is not in the following list. It is in the same form of speech with that in James, Jas 3:9. With the tongue curse we men. He seems to have been a chief man among the people; and Ezra, at present, stood in need of his influence and support.
Yet now there is hope in Israel] מקוה mikveh, expectation, of pardon; for the people were convinced of the evil, and were deeply penitent: hence it is said, Ezr 10:1, that they wept sore.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Joseph Benson 1811 · Public Domain Ezr 10:2. We have trespassed against our God —…
Ezr 10:2. We have trespassed against our God — He says we, in the name of the people, and their several families, and his own among the rest. For this man’s name is not in the following catalogue, but there we have his father Jehiel, and his father’s brethren, five other sons of his grandfather Elam, Ezr 10:26. It was therefore an evidence of his great courage and disinterested faithfulness, that he durst so freely discharge his duty, whereby he showed that he honoured God more than his nearest and dearest relations, and set an admirable example of zealous integrity. And have taken strange wives — Into conjugal society with ourselves. Yet now there is hope in Israel concerning this thing — The case is sad, but not desperate: the disease threatening, but not incurable. Our ruin may yet be prevented by repentance and reformation. And there is hope that the people may be reformed, the guilty reclaimed, a stop put to the spreading of the contagion, and so the judgments which the sin deserves may be prevented. Therefore, let us not sorrow like persons without hope, or sit down in despair, but let us fall upon action, and amend our errors, and then trust to God’s mercy.
Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Albert Barnes 1834 · Public Domain Jehiel was one of those who had taken an…
Jehiel was one of those who had taken an idolatrous wife Ezr 10:26; and Shechaniah had therefore had the evil brought home to him.
Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary 1859 · Public Domain Sechenias. 3 Esdras calls him "Jechoias." See chap. viii.…
Sechenias. 3 Esdras calls him "Jechoias." See chap. viii. 5. The name of Sechenias is not found among the transgressors; (ver. 20.) but that of Jehiel is, ver. 26. It seems, however, that the former returned with Esdras, and speaks in the name of the people, to encourage them to confess their guilt, (Calmet) unless his name be omitted. (Menochius) --- Repentance. Hebrew, "yet there is hope, (Protestants) or an assembly of Israel." (Du Dieu)
George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown 1871 · Public Domain Shechaniah . . . answered and said unto Ezra,…
Shechaniah . . . answered and said unto Ezra, We have trespassed--This was one of the leading men, who was not himself a delinquent in the matter, for his name does not occur in the following list. He spoke in the general name of the people, and his conduct evinced a tender conscience, as well as no small fortitude in making such a proposal; for as his father and five paternal uncles (Ezr 10:26) were involved in the guilt of unlawful marriages, he showed, by the measure he recommended, that he deemed it better to obey God than to please his nearest relatives.
yet now there is hope in Israel concerning this thing--This hope, however, depended on timely measures of reformation, and therefore, instead of surrendering themselves to despair or despondency, he counselled them to amend their error without delay, relying on God's mercy for the past. Though the proposal may seem harsh and cruel, yet in the peculiar circumstances of the Jews it was just as well as necessary; and he urged the duty of seeing it executed on Ezra, as the only person competent to carry it into effect, being possessed of skill and address for so delicate and difficult a work, and invested by God, and under Him by the Persian king (Ezr 7:23-28), with the requisite authority to enforce it.
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
Daniel D. Whedon 1874 · Public Domain 2. Of the sons of Elam — Two individuals…
2. Of the sons of Elam — Two individuals of this name are mentioned in the list of those who returned with Zerubbabel, (Ezr_2:7; Ezr_2:31,) but there is nothing to decide which one of them is here intended. Compare Ezr_10:26.
Now there is hope — From the fact that the people weep. There is always hope for sinners that are penitent enough to weep.
Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain 2. And Shechaniah the son of Jehiel, one of…
2. And Shechaniah the son of Jehiel, one of the sons of Elam] R.V. Shecaniah. A Jehiel is mentioned in Ezr_10:26 as one ‘of the sons of Elam’ that had married ‘strange women’. It is hardly likely that Shecaniah would have taken action against his own father and mother (or stepmother); though, if he did, it would strikingly illustrate the intensity of the feeling aroused. ‘The children of Elam’ are mentioned in Ezr_2:7, Ezr_8:7.
We have trespassed] See on Ezr_9:2.
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have taken strange wives] R.V. have married strange women. ‘Have married’ a word meaning literally ‘caused to dwell’ used in this technical sense here and Ezr_10:10; Ezr_10:14; Ezr_10:17-18; Neh_13:23; Neh_13:27.
of the people of the land] R.V. of the peoples of the land. ‘of the land’, not as in Ezr_9:1-2; Ezr_9:11 ‘of the lands’. Shecaniah refers especially to the heathen living amongst the people of Israel.
yet now there is hope in Israel] ‘Hope’. This word in the Hebrew is used for the object of hope in Jer_14:8; Jer_17:13; Jer_50:7. In 1Ch_29:15 ‘our days on the earth are as a shadow, and there is no abiding (Heb. ‘hope’)’, and in this passage, the source or means of ‘hope’ is denoted.
Shecaniah relied upon the promise attached to repentance (e.g. Deu_30:1-10). ‘Even now’ corresponds to the ‘and now’ in Ezr_9:10.
concerning this thing] The same words in the Hebrew as ‘because of this’ (Ezr_9:15). Shecaniah clearly does not mean ‘on account of this repentance’, but ‘with reference to this offence’.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain Jehiel. Probably the Jehiel" mentioned again in ver. 26,…
Jehiel. Probably the Jehiel" mentioned again in ver. 26, who was "of the sons of Elam," and had married an idolatrous wife. Yet now there is hope. The penitence of the people, evidenced by their "sore weeping, gave hope that they might be brought to amend their ways and return to God.
The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Tyndale Open Study Notes 2022 · CC BY-SA 4.0 10:2 Shecaniah was the first person brave enough to…
10:2 Shecaniah was the first person brave enough to publicly admit that he had been unfaithful to God. Admission of guilt gives the hope of forgiveness for sin.
Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.