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)

Read full chapter

23 In those days I also saw Jews who had married women from Ashdod, Ammon, and Moab.(A) 24 Half of their children spoke the language of Ashdod or the language of one of the other peoples but could not speak Hebrew.[a](B) 25 I rebuked them, cursed them, beat some of their men, and pulled out their hair.(C) I forced them to take an oath(D) before God and said: “You must not give your daughters in marriage to their sons or take their daughters as wives for your sons or yourselves!(E) 26 Didn’t King Solomon of Israel sin in matters like this? There was not a king like him among many nations. He was loved by his God and God made him king over all Israel, yet foreign women drew him into sin.(F) 27 Why then should we hear about you doing all this terrible evil and acting unfaithfully against our God by marrying foreign women?”(G)

28 Even one of the sons of Jehoiada, son of Eliashib the high priest,(H) had become a son-in-law to Sanballat the Horonite.(I) So I drove him away from me.(J)

29 Remember them, my God, for defiling the priesthood as well as the covenant of the priesthood and the Levites.(K)

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Nehemiah 13:24 Lit Judahite