Shechaniah (“dwelling with Jah”), like a shooting star, appears just long enough to light up the darkness.
While Ezra was crying out to the Lord, “a very large assembly of men, women, and children gathered to him from Israel,” also weeping bitterly (Ezra 10:1). Whatever the decision, it would have very sad results. Suddenly a man named Shechaniah spoke up: “We have trespassed against our God, and have taken pagan wives from the peoples of the land; yet now there is hope in Israel in spite of this.…let us make a covenant with our God to put away all these wives and those who have been born to them” (vv 2-3). This, he said, was “according to the advice of my master and of those who tremble at the commandment of our God” (v 3). All the people agreed, with few exceptions (v 15). Shortly after, “they issued a proclamation…to all the descendants of the captivity, that they must gather at Jerusalem” (v 7). This they did. No doubt stretched to the limit, “all the people sat in the open square of the house of God, trembling because of this matter and because of heavy rain” (v 9). The leaders knew delay would only add distress. They must put away these “pagan wives” (v 11) immediately. It seems none of these wives were willing to turn to the Lord, but chose to continue in their pagan ways. Otherwise they would have been welcomed into Israel like Rahab, Ruth, and many others. The people asked for more time because, they said, “there are many people” and “it is the season for heavy rain, and we are not able to stand outside” (v 13). They suggested that if those in the mixed marriages could make appointments to meet “with the elders and judges of their cities” (v 14), things could be worked out. “Then the descendants of the captivity did so” (v 16), and the list of those who stood with God in this vital step concludes this compelling book (vv 18-44).