Mixed Marriages Forbidden

23 In those days I also saw that the Jews had [a](A)married women from (B)Ashdod, (C)Ammon, and Moab. 24 As for their children, half spoke in the language of Ashdod, and none of them knew how to speak the language of Judah, but [b]only the language of his own people. 25 So (D)I quarreled with them and cursed them, and (E)struck some of them and pulled out their hair, and (F)made them swear by God, “You shall not give your daughters to their sons, nor take any of their daughters for your sons or for yourselves. 26 (G)Did Solomon the king of Israel not sin regarding these things? (H)Yet among the many nations there was no king like him, and (I)he was loved by his God, and God made him king over all Israel; yet the foreign women caused even him to sin. 27 Has it not then been reported about you that you have committed all this great evil (J)by acting unfaithfully against our God, by [c]marrying foreign women?” 28 Even one of the sons of Joiada, the son of Eliashib the high priest, became a son-in-law of (K)Sanballat the Horonite, so I chased him away from me. 29 (L)Remember them, my God, [d]because they have defiled the priesthood and the (M)covenant of the priesthood and the Levites.

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Footnotes

  1. Nehemiah 13:23 Lit given dwelling to
  2. Nehemiah 13:24 Lit according to the tongue of people and people
  3. Nehemiah 13:27 Lit giving dwelling to
  4. Nehemiah 13:29 Lit for the defilements of

23 Moreover, in those days I saw men of Judah who had married(A) women from Ashdod, Ammon and Moab.(B) 24 Half of their children spoke the language of Ashdod or the language of one of the other peoples, and did not know how to speak the language(C) of Judah. 25 I rebuked them and called curses down on them. I beat some of the men and pulled out their hair. I made them take an oath(D) in God’s name and said: “You are not to give your daughters in marriage to their sons, nor are you to take their daughters in marriage for your sons or for yourselves.(E) 26 Was it not because of marriages like these that Solomon king of Israel sinned? Among the many nations there was no king like him.(F) He was loved by his God,(G) and God made him king over all Israel, but even he was led into sin by foreign women.(H) 27 Must we hear now that you too are doing all this terrible wickedness and are being unfaithful to our God by marrying(I) foreign women?”

28 One of the sons of Joiada son of Eliashib(J) the high priest was son-in-law to Sanballat(K) the Horonite. And I drove him away from me.

29 Remember(L) them, my God, because they defiled the priestly office and the covenant of the priesthood and of the Levites.(M)

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