Nehemiah 13:23

23 Also during this time I saw the Judeans who had married women from Ashdod, 'Amon and Mo'av;

Nehemiah 13:23 Meaning and Commentary

Nehemiah 13:23

In those days also I saw Jews that married wives of Ashdod,
of Ammon, and of Moab.
] Ashdod, or Azotus, as it is called in ( Acts 8:40 ) , was one of the five cities of the Philistines; which, though none of the seven nations with whom marriage was forbid, yet it was very unfit and improper to marry with them, ( Judges 14:3 ) . This place was a mart of the Arabians ^F8, where they sold their goods, to which the Jews might resort, and thereby be ensnared into such marriages; and which with the Ammonites and Moabites were unlawful, ( Nehemiah 13:1 ) .

---

FOOTNOTES:

F8 Mela de Situ Orbis, l. 1. c. 10.

Nehemiah 13:23 In-Context

21 until I warned them, "Why are you spending the night by the wall? Do it again, and I'll use force against you!" From then on they stopped coming on Shabbat.

22 Then I ordered the L'vi'im to purify themselves and come and guard the gates, in order to keep the day of Shabbat holy. My God, remember this too for me, and have mercy on me in keeping with the greatness of your grace!

23 Also during this time I saw the Judeans who had married women from Ashdod, 'Amon and Mo'av;

24 and their children, who spoke half in the language of Ashdod and couldn't speak in the language the Judeans spoke but only in the language of each people.

25 I disputed with them and cursed them, and I beat some of them up and pulled out their hair. Then I made them swear by God, "You will not give your daughters as wives for their sons or take their daughters as wives for your sons or for yourselves.