Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 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.
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.
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’.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
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.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
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] 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.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
He saith
we, either,
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 mans name is not in the following catalogue, but there we have his father, Jehiel, and his fathers 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 Gods mercy.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
2-4. Shechaniah . . . answered andsaid unto Ezra, We have trespassedThis was one of the leadingmen, who was not himself a delinquent in the matter, for his namedoes not occur in the following list. He spoke in the general name ofthe people, and his conduct evinced a tender conscience, as well asno small fortitude in making such a proposal; for as his father andfive paternal uncles (Ezr 10:26)were involved in the guilt of unlawful marriages, he showed, by themeasure he recommended, that he deemed it better to obey God than toplease his nearest relatives.
yet now there is hope inIsrael concerning this thingThis hope, however, depended ontimely measures of reformation, and therefore, instead ofsurrendering themselves to despair or despondency, he counselled themto amend their error without delay, relying on God’s mercy for thepast. Though the proposal may seem harsh and cruel, yet in thepeculiar circumstances of the Jews it was just as well as necessary;and he urged the duty of seeing it executed on Ezra, as the onlyperson competent to carry it into effect, being possessed of skilland address for so delicate and difficult a work, and invested byGod, and under Him by the Persian king (Ezr7:23-28), with the requisite authority to enforce it.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
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:
yet now there is hope in Israel concerning this thing; of a reformation of this evil, and of pardon for it.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Then one of the sons of Elam, Shecaniah, the son of Jehiel, stood forth from amidst the assembly, and uttered the confession: “We have been unfaithful towards our God by marrying strange wives, but there is yet hope for Israel concerning this thing. We will now make a covenant with God to put away all the strange wives and their children from the congregation, according to the counsel of the Lord, and of those who fear the commandment of our God, that it may be done according to the law.” Shecaniah, of the sons of Elam (comp. Ezr 2:7; Ezr 8:7), is a different person from the descendant of Zattu, mentioned Ezr 8:5; nor is Jehiel identical with the individual whose name occurs in Ezr 10:26. , and have brought home strange wives. , to cause to dwell (in one’s house), said in Ezr 10:10, Ezr 10:14, Ezr 10:17, Ezr 10:18, and Neh 13:23, Neh 13:27, of bringing a wife home. Shecaniah founds his hope for Israel in this trespass upon the circumstance, that they bind themselves by a solemn covenant before God to put away this scandal from the congregation, and to act in conformity with the law. To make a covenant with our God, i.e., to bind themselves by an oath with respect to God, comp. 2Ch 29:10. , to put away – the opposite of . All the wives are, according to the context, all the strange women (Ezr 10:2), and that which is born of them, their children. Instead of , according to the counsel of the Lord, De Wette, Bertheau, and others, following the paraphrase in the lxx and 1 Esdras, read , according to the counsel of my lord, i.e., of Ezra. But this paraphrase being of no critical authority, there is no sufficient reason for the alteration. For Shecaniah to call Ezra my lord sounds strange, since usually this title was only given by servants to their master, or subjects to their sovereign, and Shecaniah afterwards addresses him simply as thou. Besides, Ezra had given no advice at all in this matter, and still less had he come to any resolution about it with the God-fearing members of the community. after the preceding , we will make a covenant, must be taken as hortative: and let it be done according to the law. , caring for with trembling.
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
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.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
No doubt in the evil already induced from these improper connections, the Holy Ghost had guarded the stock of David from any evil consequences in this grand matter. But it was high time that Israel should be made sensible of the sin, and be divorced from all such alliances. Here is a sweet spiritual improvement arising out of this subject. Believers in Jesus must he divorced from all carnal connections, in order to their union with the Lord. Hence Paul saith, that he was jealous over the church, because he had espoused her to Christ. 2Co 11:2 . And with what tears and vows do true believers in Christ en gage in his service, when turning our back upon the world, we resolve to be wholly Jesus’s? This Shechaniah is honorably spoken of in this place by the Holy Ghost. Oh! how truly valuable thus to be honorably recorded in the book of God.
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
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 .
Answered and said unto Ezra
We have trespassed against our God
Yet now there is hope in Israel, &c.
“ 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 .
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
the sons of Elam. Compare Ezr 10:26.
answered and said. A Hebrew idiom, by which the first verb “answered” must be rendered according to the context. Here = “confessed and said”.
trespassed = acted treacherously. Hebrew. ma’al. App-44.
people = peoples.
in = for.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Shechaniah: Ezr 10:26, Neh 3:29
Elam: Ezr 2:7, Ezr 2:31, Neh 7:12, Neh 7:34
We have trespassed: Shechaniah here speaks in the name of the people, not acknowledging himself culpable; for he is not in the following list., Compare, Jam 2:9, Exo 34:12, Neh 13:27
yet now there is hope: Exo 34:6, Exo 34:7, Isa 55:6, Isa 55:7, Jer 3:12, Jer 3:13, 1Jo 1:7-9
Reciprocal: Exo 18:24 – General Lev 5:19 – trespassed 1Ki 11:2 – Ye shall not go in Neh 2:17 – come Pro 27:9 – so Mal 2:10 – by Mal 2:11 – and hath Act 27:22 – I exhort 1Co 7:12 – If
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
A GRIEVOUS TRESPASS
We have trespassed against our God.
Ezr 10:2
I. It was, without doubt, a very grievous sin.The people had acted in direct violation of the express commandment of God, and nothing would tend to hinder the testimony and impede the influence of the chosen people more fatally than this intermarriage with heathen and strange women. We know how perniciously the counterpart of this reacts on the children of households, where believers and unbelievers are unequally yoked together.
II. At the same time Ezras measures were very drastic, and the weight of suffering must have fallen very heavily on the poor wives and mothers, divorced from their husbands, and separated from their children. In missionary policy one would rather follow the wise counsels given by the Apostle to the Corinthians (1Co 7:12-16).
III. It must have required a large amount of courage for Ezra to take the course he did.The matter certainly belonged unto him, but many a man would have flinched. Probably, however, the way was made easier for him by his very deep and evident concern. He took the sin of the people home to himself, as though it were his own, and they respected him for doing so. There is nothing that so moves people as to see another moved for their sins, and they will bear almost anything from one whose motive is transparently pure. Would that our hearts were as sensitive as Ezras, and that we could induce in others, through our tears, a trembling on account of sin!
Illustration
From our point of view, the dismissal of strange wives with their children seems extravagantly severewithout doubt there were also many in the congregation of that time who found the demand of Ezra beyond measure hard, many who might be ruined by this proceeding. Notwithstanding, if we properly estimate all the circumstances of that period, and especially the great dangers that threatened the very existence of the congregation, we shall be obliged to regard Ezra as in the right. We are not always to avoid that which may be a stumbling-block. The point of view which alone decides at last, is ever that the communion with the Lord must be re-established or furthered; all communion and friendship with men must stand in the background.
Fuente: Church Pulpit Commentary
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 mans name is not in the following catalogue, but there we have his father Jehiel, and his fathers 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 Gods mercy.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
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 {b} hope in Israel concerning this thing.
(b) Meaning, that God would receive them in mercy.