Nehemiah 10:30
We will not give our daughters to the peoples of the land or take their daughters for our sons.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This page isn't yet indexed by search engines.
This verse isn't just about avoiding "foreign" marriages; it's a specific vow against "making affinity" or forming alliances through marriage with those who didn't share their covenant with God. The repetition of "give our daughters" and "take their daughters" emphasizes that this prohibition was a two-way street, aimed at maintaining the distinct identity and spiritual purity of God's people for generations to come.
After reaffirming their commitment to God and His Law, the people of Israel solemnly pledge to avoid intermarriage with the surrounding pagan nations, a practice that had led to spiritual compromise in the past. This specific vow, rooted in ancient commands, directly addresses a recurring temptation and a significant threat to their unique covenant relationship with God.
Why did the Israelites make such a specific vow about marriage? This wasn't just about tradition; it was a radical act of commitment.
Nehemiah and the people aren't just making a general promise to follow God; they're getting specific about areas where they've failed before.
A Targeted Promise
This verse is a clear example of covenant specificity. They recognized that intermarrying with the surrounding 'peoples of the land' – who worshipped other gods – was a major way their faith had been diluted in the past. This wasn't about ethnic purity for its own sake, but about protecting their covenant relationship with the ONE God.
Preventing Spiritual Drift
'Making no affinity' with these groups was crucial. When they married outside their community, their children often didn't learn or practice the ways of the Lord. This vow was a proactive step to ensure future generations would remain devoted to God's law, not get pulled into the practices and beliefs of their neighbors.
This verse is more than a historical rule; it's a powerful reminder about the nature of commitment, both to God and within our own lives.
The people of Israel are making a solemn oath, a covenant. This isn't a casual agreement; it's a binding promise sealed with an oath, carrying serious weight.
The Weight of an Oath
When they 'entered into a curse, and into an oath' (as mentioned in Nehemiah 10:29), they weren't just saying, 'We'll try our best.' They were invoking God's name and submitting themselves to His judgment if they failed. This elevated the prohibition against intermarriage beyond a mere suggestion to a solemn vow.
Specificity in Commitment
As the commentaries note, this particular vow addresses areas where they had 'lately transgressed, or were most prone to transgress.' This is a vital lesson for us: true covenant-keeping with God involves not just broad strokes of obedience, but also a willingness to identify our personal weak spots and make specific commitments to guard against them. It’s about practical holiness, not just theological agreement.
This vow against intermarriage in Nehemiah 10 wasn't new; it echoed a long-standing Deuteronomic law, but it was particularly urgent after Ezra's reforms and in the face of ongoing struggles to maintain religious and national identity in post-exilic Judah.
c. 586 BC
Fall of Jerusalem
The Babylonians conquer Judah and destroy Jerusalem and the Temple, leading to the exile of many Judeans.
539 BC
Cyrus the Great Conquers Babylon
The Persian Empire, under Cyrus, overthrows the Babylonian Empire, creating a new political reality for exiles.
538 BC
Edict of Cyrus
Cyrus allows the Jewish exiles to return to Jerusalem and rebuild their Temple, beginning the Second Temple period.
c. 458 BC
Ezra's Reforms
The scribe Ezra leads a group of returnees and institutes strict religious reforms, addressing the issue of intermarriage with foreign women.
c. 444 BC— this verse
This passage lays the foundation for the prohibition against intermarriage, explicitly warning Israel not to make marriages with the surrounding nations for fear of turning their hearts away from God.
Ezra 9:2This verse highlights the very problem Nehemiah and his people are now vowing to correct – the Israelites had already intermarried with the local peoples, a practice that Ezra declared 'a great sin'.
2 Corinthians 6:14The Apostle Paul echoes this principle, urging believers not to be unequally yoked with unbelievers, illustrating how close associations, like marriage, can profoundly influence one's spiritual walk.
Nehemiah 13:23-27This later passage shows the severe consequences when this vow was broken, as Nehemiah had to confront the people and enforce the separation again, demonstrating the ongoing struggle and importance of this commitment.
pulpitNehemiah 10:30: "And that we would not give our daughters unto the people of the land, nor take their daughters for our sons:"
Verse 30. - That we would not give our daughters, etc. On the recurrence of the mixed marriages so soon after the reformation of Ezra, see the comment on Nehemiah 13:23.
clarkeNehemiah 10:30: "And that we would not give our daughters unto the people of the land, nor take their daughters for our sons:"
Not give our daughters - Make no affinity with the people of the land.
This verse isn't just about avoiding "foreign" marriages; it's a specific vow against "making affinity" or forming alliances through marriage with those who didn't share their covenant with God. The repetition of "give our daughters" and "take their daughters" emphasizes that this prohibition was a two-way street, aimed at maintaining the distinct identity and spiritual purity of God's people for generations to come.
After reaffirming their commitment to God and His Law, the people of Israel solemnly pledge to avoid intermarriage with the surrounding pagan nations, a practice that had led to spiritual compromise in the past. This specific vow, rooted in ancient commands, directly addresses a recurring temptation and a significant threat to their unique covenant relationship with God.
After reaffirming their commitment to God and His Law, the people of Israel solemnly pledge to avoid intermarriage with the surrounding pagan nations, a practice that had led to spiritual compromise in the past. This specific vow, rooted in ancient commands, directly addresses a recurring temptation and a significant threat to their unique covenant relationship with God.
Get the original Greek and Hebrew, verse-by-verse context, and related passages inside the app.
Ask a follow-up
Ask Sola things like:
Live chat about Nehemiah 10:30 is available in the Sola app.
Nehemiah's Ministry in Jerusalem
Nehemiah arrives in Jerusalem as governor and leads the rebuilding of the city walls, facing significant opposition. He then participates in the renewal of the covenant.
c. 444 BC
Covenant Renewal
Nehemiah and the people of Judah reaffirm their commitment to God's law, including specific vows like the prohibition against intermarriage.
"We will not give our daughters to the peoples of the land or take their daughters for our sons." — This verse isn't just about avoiding "foreign" marriages; it's a specific vow against "making affinity" or forming alliances through marriage with those who didn't share their covenant with God. The…
