Nehemiah 13:23
In those days also I saw the Jews who had married women of Ashdod, Ammon, and Moab.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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This verse isn't just stating a fact; it reveals Nehemiah's close observation, noting not just the act of marriage but the reality of "women" who were "made to dwell with them." It highlights that these weren't just unions but the bringing of foreign cultures and influences directly into Jewish households, a detail easily missed if we just read "married women."
Right after addressing the desecration of the Sabbath, Nehemiah turns his attention to another significant breach of their covenant: Jews intermarrying with people from surrounding nations like Ashdod, Ammon, and Moab. This wasn't just a casual observation; Nehemiah actively observed these couples and recognized the serious threat these marriages posed to the spiritual distinctiveness and obedience of God's people. He knew this was a direct violation of the solemn promises they had recently reaffirmed, which is why he felt compelled to confront it so directly.
Nehemiah had just re-established the walls and the community's commitment to God's law. But the fight for purity wasn't over. He discovers a new, insidious threat brewing from within.
Even after a powerful spiritual revival and public commitments, the temptation to assimilate with surrounding cultures remains a constant danger.
The 'Ashdod' Factor
The people married 'women of Ashdod, Ammon, and Moab.' These were not just random foreign nations; they were specific peoples with histories of antagonism towards Israel.
Blurring the Lines
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These marriages weren't just social unions; they represented a dangerous 'blurring' of distinct identities. The people were allowing foreign customs, beliefs, and loyalties to infiltrate the very heart of their families and, by extension, their community. This was a direct violation of the covenant God had made with His people, a covenant that demanded separation for the sake of faithfulness.
Nehemiah wasn't just a builder of walls; he was a watchman over the people's spiritual health. When he saw this transgression, he didn't look away.
Nehemiah's personal observation ('I saw') signifies his active leadership and his deep concern for the community's covenantal faithfulness. He wasn't passively letting things slide.
A Leader's Watchful Eye
Nehemiah's example calls leaders and members alike to be attentive to the spiritual health of the community, not to be afraid to see and address sin, and to actively uphold the standards of God's Word.
This verse highlights the ongoing struggle to maintain covenant faithfulness and national identity in post-exilic Judah, even after significant reform efforts like those led by Ezra and Nehemiah.
c. 538 BC
First Return from Exile
Following Cyrus the Great's decree, a group of Jewish exiles returned to Jerusalem to rebuild the Temple. This marked the beginning of the post-exilic period.
c. 515 BC
Temple Rededication
The Second Temple in Jerusalem was completed and rededicated, signifying a renewed focus on religious observance and community identity.
c. 458 BC
Ezra's Reforms
Ezra, a scribe and priest, led a second major return of exiles from Babylon. He found widespread intermarriage with foreign women and initiated strict reforms to separate the people from surrounding nations.
c. 444-433 BC— this verse
Nehemiah's Governorship and Reforms
Nehemiah, cupbearer to the Persian king, was appointed governor of Judah. He led the rebuilding of Jerusalem's walls and enforced religious and social reforms, including addressing the issue of mixed marriages.
c. 430 BC
Continued Violations
Despite Nehemiah's efforts and previous reforms, some Jews continued to marry women from Ashdod, Ammon, and Moab, showing the persistent challenges in maintaining religious and ethnic separation.
This passage immediately precedes Ezra's prayer and confession regarding the same issue of Israelite men marrying foreign women, highlighting the deep historical and theological concern Nehemiah was addressing.
Deuteronomy 7:1-4This Old Testament law explicitly forbids intermarriage with surrounding nations, providing the foundational theological reason for Nehemiah's strong reaction to these unions.
1 Corinthians 15:33Paul warns against bad company corrupting good character, which mirrors Nehemiah's concern that these foreign marriages would lead to spiritual corruption and a departure from God's ways.
Nehemiah 10:30This verse shows that the people had previously made a solemn covenant *not* to give their daughters to the peoples of the land or take their daughters for their sons, making this transgression a direct violation of their public commitment.
ellicottNehemiah 13:23: "In those days also saw I Jews that had married wives of Ashdod, of Ammon, and of Moab:"
(23-29) The mixed marriages again. (23) Saw I Jews.—The punishment shows that these were exceptional cases; but the transgression was of the most flagrant kind (see Nehemiah 13:1).
pulpitNehemiah 13:23: "In those days also saw I Jews that had married wives of Ashdod, of Ammon, and of Moab:"
Verse 23. - In those days. i.e. "About this same time." Compare ver. 15. Saw I Jews. Rather, "looked I after the Jews." There is a reference to the first three verses of the present chapter, which had introduced the subject of the mixed marriages. Nehemiah wishes to put on record the part which he had taken in the matter, and begins by observing that it had not escaped him - he had had his e…
This verse isn't just stating a fact; it reveals Nehemiah's close observation, noting not just the act of marriage but the reality of "women" who were "made to dwell with them." It highlights that these weren't just unions but the bringing of foreign cultures and influences directly into Jewish households, a detail easily missed if we just read "married women."
Right after addressing the desecration of the Sabbath, Nehemiah turns his attention to another significant breach of their covenant: Jews intermarrying with people from surrounding nations like Ashdod, Ammon, and Moab. This wasn't just a casual observation; Nehemiah actively observed these couples and recognized the serious threat these marriages posed to the spiritual distinctiveness and obedience of God's people. He knew this was a direct violation of the solemn promises they had recently reaffirmed, which is why he felt compelled to confront it so directly.
Right after addressing the desecration of the Sabbath, Nehemiah turns his attention to another significant breach of their covenant: Jews intermarrying with people from surrounding nations like Ashdod, Ammon, and Moab. This wasn't just a casual observation; Nehemiah actively observed these couples and recognized the serious threat these marriages posed to the spiritual distinctiveness and obedience of God's people. He knew this was a direct violation of the solemn promises they had recently reaffirmed, which is why he felt compelled to confront it so directly.
"In those days also I saw the Jews who had married women of Ashdod, Ammon, and Moab." — This verse isn't just stating a fact; it reveals Nehemiah's close observation, noting not just the act of marriage but the reality of "women" who were "made to dwell with them." It highlights that th…
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