Ezra 9:12

12 They told us that we were never to intermarry with those people and never to help them prosper or succeed if we wanted to enjoy the land and pass it on to our descendants forever. ¹

Ezra 9:12 Meaning and Commentary

Ezra 9:12

Now therefore give not your daughters unto their sons, nor
take their daughters unto your sons
That is, in marriage, see ( Deuteronomy 7:3 ) , where the prohibition is expressed in the same language:

nor seek their peace or their wealth for ever;
that is, as long as they continue in their idolatries and impurities, see ( Deuteronomy 23:6 ) ,

that ye may be strong, and eat the good of the land, and leave it
for an inheritance to your children for ever;
that they might be strengthened and established in the land into which they were brought, and enjoy all the good things it produced, and leave their children in the possession of it, to hold at least until the Messiah came, see ( Isaiah 1:19 ) .

Ezra 9:12 In-Context

10 "But now, O God, what can we say after all that has happened? We have again disobeyed the commands

11 that you gave us through your servants, the prophets. They told us that the land we were going to occupy was an impure land because the people who lived in it filled it from one end to the other with disgusting, filthy actions.

12 They told us that we were never to intermarry with those people and never to help them prosper or succeed if we wanted to enjoy the land and pass it on to our descendants forever.

13 Even after everything that has happened to us in punishment for our sins and wrongs, we know that you, our God, have punished us less than we deserve and have allowed us to survive.

14 Then how can we ignore your commandments again and intermarry with these wicked people? If we do, you will be so angry that you will destroy us completely and let no one survive.

Cross References

• 1. 9.12Exodus 34.11-16;Deuteronomy 7.1-5.