Nehemiah 13:23-27

23 Moreover, in those days I saw men of Judah who had married women from Ashdod, Ammon and Moab.

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 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 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.

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. He was loved by his God, and God made him king over all Israel, but even he was led into sin by foreign women.

27 Must we hear now that you too are doing all this terrible wickedness and are being unfaithful to our God by marrying foreign women?”

Nehemiah 13:23-27 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO NEHEMIAH 13

This chapter relates the reformation of various abuses crept in among the Jews by Nehemiah, who removed the Moabites and Ammonites, mixed with them, Ne 13:1-3, threw the household goods of Tobiah out of a chamber of the temple, and restored it to its former use, Ne 13:4-9, took care that the Levites had their portion given them which had been kept from them, Ne 13:10-14 prevented the profanation of the sabbath by selling goods on that day, Ne 13:15-22, and put a stop to the marrying of strange wives, which had prevailed again among them, Ne 13:23-31.

Cross References

• 1. Ezra 9:1-2; Malachi 2:11
• 2. ver 1; S ver 1,S 3; Exodus 34:16; S Ruth 1:4; S Nehemiah 10:30
• 3. Esther 1:22; Esther 3:12; Esther 8:9
• 4. S Ezra 10:5
• 5. S Exodus 34:16
• 6. S 1 Kings 3:13; S 2 Chronicles 1:12
• 7. 2 Samuel 12:25
• 8. S Exodus 34:16; S 1 Kings 11:3
• 9. Ezra 9:14; Ezra 10:2