Then Shecaniah son of Jehiel, one of the descendants of Elam, spoke to Ezra. Shecaniah said, “We have not been faithful to our God. We have married the people living around us. But, even though we have done this, there is still hope for Israel.
I did the things you say are wrong.\par God, you are the One I sinned against.\par I confess these things so people will know\par I am wrong, and you are right.\par Your decisions are fair.\par
There were two tables on each side \{of the door\} of this porch. The animals for the burnt offerings, the sin offerings, and the guilt offerings were killed on these tables.
“If a person sins and does any of the things that the Lord has commanded not to be done, it does not matter if that person did not know. That person is guilty. That person must accept the responsibility for his sin.
That person must bring a ram that has nothing wrong with it to the priest. The ram will be a guilt offering. In this way, the priest will make that person pure [54] from the sin that person did without knowing. And God will forgive that person.
“If the person can’t afford a lamb, he must bring two doves or two young pigeons to the Lord. These will be the guilt offering for his sin. One bird must be for a sin offering, and the other must be for a burnt offering.