Ezra 10:2

2 Shecaniah son of Jehiel, of the sons of Elam, answered and said to Ezra, "We ourselves have broken faith with our God and have married foreign women from the peoples of the land, and even now there is hope for Israel in spite of this.

Ezra 10:2 Meaning and Commentary

Ezra 10:2

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 ( Ezra 8:3 Ezra 8:5 ) ,

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, ( Ezra 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.

Ezra 10:2 In-Context

1 While Ezra was praying and confessing, weeping and throwing himself down before the house of God, a very great assembly of men, women, and children from Israel gathered to him. And the people wept bitterly.

2 Shecaniah son of Jehiel, of the sons of Elam, answered and said to Ezra, "We ourselves have broken faith with our God and have married foreign women from the peoples of the land, and even now there is hope for Israel in spite of this.

3 So now let us make a covenant with our God to send away all of these women and their offspring, according to the advice of my lord and those who tremble at the commandment of our God. Let it be done according to the law.

4 Arise, for it is your task and we are with you. Be strong and do it."

5 Then Ezra stood up and made the chief priests, Levites, and all of Israel swear to do according to what was said. So they swore this oath.