Nehemiah 13:25

²³ In those days also saw I Jews that had married wives of Ashdod, of Ammon, and of Moab:

²⁴ And their children spake half in the speech of Ashdod, and could not speak in the Jews’ language, but according to the language of each people.

And I contended with them, and cursed them, and smote certain of them, and plucked off their hair, and made them swear by God, saying, Ye shall not give your daughters unto their sons, nor take their daughters unto your sons, or for yourselves.

²⁶ Did not Solomon king of Israel sin by these things? yet among many nations was there no king like him, who was beloved of his God, and God made him king over all Israel: nevertheless even him did outlandish women cause to sin.

²⁷ Shall we then hearken unto you to do all this great evil, to transgress against our God in marrying strange wives?

Here the Bible tells a story about someone else. Ask yourself what it can say to us today. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB: I rebuked them and called down curses on them. I beat some of these men and pulled out their hair. Then I made them take an oath 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 for yourselves!
KJV: And I contended with them, and cursed them, and smote certain of them, and plucked off their hair, and made them swear by God, saying, Ye shall not give your daughters unto their sons, nor take their daughters unto your sons, or for yourselves.
WEB: I contended with them, cursed them, struck certain of them, plucked off their hair, and made them swear by God, “You shall not give your daughters to their sons, nor take their daughters for your sons, or for yourselves.
ASV: And I contended with them, and cursed them, and smote certain of them, and plucked off their hair, and made them swear by God, [saying], Ye shall not give your daughters unto their sons, nor take their daughters for your sons, or for yourselves.
DARBY: And I contended with them, and cursed them, and smote certain of them and plucked off their hair, and adjured them by God [saying], Ye shall not give your daughters to their sons, nor take their daughters for your sons or for yourselves.
BLB: And I contended with them and cursed them and struck [some] men from them and pulled out their hair. And I made them swear by God, “You⁺ shall Not give your⁺ daughters to their sons or take from their daughters for your⁺ sons or for yourselves.

ÅB: Jeg gikk i rette med dem og forbannet dem, ja, noen av dem slo jeg og rev dem i håret; jeg lot dem sverge ved Gud og sa: Dere skal ikke gi deres døtre til deres sønner eller ta noen av deres døtre til hustruer for deres sønner eller for dere selv.
OTB: Så jeg refset dem og kalte forbannelser over dem. Jeg slo noen av mennene og rev ut håret deres. Jeg fikk dem til å avlegge en ed i Guds navn og sa: "Dere skal ikke gi deres døtre til deres sønner, eller ta deres døtre til deres sønner eller til dere selv.
B1930: Jeg gikk i rette med dem og forbannet dem, ja, nogen av dem slo jeg og rev dem i håret; jeg lot dem sverge ved Gud og sa: I skal ikke gi eders døtre til deres sønner eller ta nogen av deres døtre til hustruer for eders sønner eller for eder selv.

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

Deuteronomy 7:3
Neither shalt thou make marriages with them; thy daughter thou shalt not give unto his son, nor his daughter shalt thou take unto thy son.
Read in context
Nehemiah 10:29–30
They clave to their brethren, their nobles, and entered into a curse, and into an oath, to walk in God’s law, which was given by Moses the servant of God, and to observe and do all the commandments of the LORD our Lord, and his judgments and his statutes;
Read in context
Nehemiah 13:17
Then I contended with the nobles of Judah, and said unto them, What evil thing is this that ye do, and profane the sabbath day?
Read in context
Ezra 10:5
Then arose Ezra, and made the chief priests, the Levites, and all Israel, to swear that they should do according to this word. And they sware.
Read in context
Nehemiah 5:13
Also I shook my lap, and said, So God shake out every man from his house, and from his labour, that performeth not this promise, even thus be he shaken out, and emptied. And all the congregation said, Amen, and praised the LORD. And the people did according to this promise.
Read in context
Nehemiah 13:11
Then contended I with the rulers, and said, Why is the house of God forsaken? And I gathered them together, and set them in their place.
Read in context
Ezra 7:26
And whosoever will not do the law of thy God, and the law of the king, let judgment be executed speedily upon him, whether it be unto death, or to banishment, or to confiscation of goods, or to imprisonment.
Read in context
2 Chronicles 15:12–15
And they entered into a covenant to seek the LORD God of their fathers with all their heart and with all their soul;
Read in context