Nehemiah 13:3
As soon as the people heard the law, they separated from Israel all those of foreign descent.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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The verse doesn't just say they separated "foreigners," but the "mixed multitude," highlighting that the issue wasn't simply ethnicity but the blending of these foreign influences into the community of God's people. This separation wasn't necessarily a physical expulsion, but a clear distinction made to preserve their covenant identity and purity in worship.
The people have just heard the Law read aloud, which clearly forbids intermarriage with foreign nations. In response to this divine instruction, they take decisive action to purify their community by removing all individuals and families who were not of pure Israelite descent, especially those who had married into Israelite families. This purification, similar to a previous effort by Ezra, aimed to separate the "mixed multitude" from the congregation of Israel, ensuring the nation remained distinct and holy.
Ever wonder how God's Word can shake things up in your life? In Nehemiah's time, simply hearing the law led to immediate, drastic action.
The people of Israel had been living with 'mixed multitudes'—people of foreign descent, often married into Israelite families—for a long time. But when they heard the Law read aloud, specifically the passages that forbade intermingling with certain foreign nations (like Ammonites and Moabites), something shifted. It wasn't just an intellectual exercise; it was a call to immediate action. The 'law' they heard wasn't just a set of rules; it was a powerful revelation of God's will and His desire for His people to remain distinct. This shows us how powerfully God's Word can convict and compel us when we truly listen.
The term 'mixed multitude' sounds vague, but it referred to specific people and a specific problem that threatened the community's identity.
The 'mixed multitude' primarily refers to individuals of foreign descent who had become integrated into Israel, often through marriage. These weren't just casual acquaintances; they were people who had formed relationships and perhaps even families within Israel. The concern was that these foreign influences could lead the Israelites away from worshipping Yahweh and following His covenant commands. This separation wasn't about racial purity in a modern sense, but about maintaining faithfulness to God's covenant and preserving the distinct identity of His chosen people.
Separating people from their communities, especially when families are involved, is never easy. What does this intense measure tell us about Nehemiah's priorities?
The action taken in Nehemiah 13:3 was drastic. It involved divorcing foreign wives and sending them away, along with their children. This was a painful, disruptive process that echoed a similar, earlier event under Ezra. While it seems harsh to us today, it reveals Nehemiah's deep commitment to obedience to God's Law and the preservation of Israel's covenant identity. The leaders recognized that allowing these foreign entanglements compromised their relationship with God and their distinct purpose as His people. This highlights a profound principle: faithfulness to God sometimes requires difficult, costly decisions to cut away what compromises our devotion to Him.
Understand the original words
torah · Hebrew Noun
The authoritative divine standard revealed to Israel, intended to govern their moral, civil, and ritual life in accordance with God's holiness.
badal · Hebrew Verb
The act of setting oneself apart from uncleanness or separation from the world to be exclusively devoted to the Lord; it implies a distinct identity.
This verse highlights how foundational obedience to God's Word can lead to difficult, yet necessary, societal adjustments. The people's response echoes earlier reforms, demonstrating a recurring struggle to maintain covenant purity in the face of foreign influences.
c. 458 BC
Ezra Reads the Law and Reforms
Ezra leads a group of Israelites returning from Babylonian exile to Jerusalem. He reads the Law to the people, revealing their widespread practice of intermarrying with foreign women. This leads to a dramatic public repentance and a commitment to divorce these foreign wives and their children.
c. 444 BC
Nehemiah's First Return to Jerusalem
Nehemiah, cupbearer to the Persian king, returns to Jerusalem after hearing about the city's dilapidated walls. He rallies the people to rebuild the walls in just 52 days, facing significant opposition.
c. 444 BC
Ezra and Nehemiah Lead Reforms
After the walls are rebuilt, Ezra and Nehemiah work together to re-establish covenant faithfulness among the people. This period sees efforts to uphold the Law, including religious and social reforms.
c. 432 BC— this verse
Nehemiah's Second Return to Jerusalem
Nehemiah returns to Jerusalem after a period away in Persia. He discovers ongoing corruption and a neglect of the Law among the people and the priesthood, particularly concerning the sanctity of the Temple and Sabbath observance.
This passage parallels Nehemiah's actions, detailing Ezra's decree to send away foreign wives and their children after the law was heard, highlighting the theme of separation based on God's law.
Deuteronomy 7:1-6This foundational law explicitly commands Israel to separate from the surrounding nations, prohibiting intermarriage and idolatry, which directly informs the 'law' Nehemiah's people heard and acted upon.
Numbers 11:4This verse speaks of the 'mixed multitude' who joined the Israelites in the wilderness and craved other food, illustrating the disruptive and potentially corrupting influence that 'foreign descent' or mixed affiliations could have on God's people.
2 Corinthians 6:14-16This New Testament passage echoes the principle of separation, urging believers not to be unequally yoked with unbelievers, demonstrating the enduring spiritual concern about maintaining purity and distinctiveness within God's community.
clarkeNehemiah 13:3: "Now it came to pass, when they had heard the law, that they separated from Israel all the mixed multitude."
They separated from Israel all the mixed multitude - They excluded all strange women, and all persons, young and old, who had been born of these illegal connections.
barnesNehemiah 13:3: "Now it came to pass, when they had heard the law, that they separated from Israel all the mixed multitude."
A separation like that made by Ezra, some 20 years previously Ezra 10:15-44 , seems to be intended. The pagan wives were divorced and sent back, with their offspring, to their own countries.
The verse doesn't just say they separated "foreigners," but the "mixed multitude," highlighting that the issue wasn't simply ethnicity but the blending of these foreign influences into the community of God's people. This separation wasn't necessarily a physical expulsion, but a clear distinction made to preserve their covenant identity and purity in worship.
The people have just heard the Law read aloud, which clearly forbids intermarriage with foreign nations. In response to this divine instruction, they take decisive action to purify their community by removing all individuals and families who were not of pure Israelite descent, especially those who had married into Israelite families. This purification, similar to a previous effort by Ezra, aimed to separate the "mixed multitude" from the congregation of Israel, ensuring the nation remained distinct and holy.
The people have just heard the Law read aloud, which clearly forbids intermarriage with foreign nations. In response to this divine instruction, they take decisive action to purify their community by removing all individuals and families who were not of pure Israelite descent, especially those who had married into Israelite families. This purification, similar to a previous effort by Ezra, aimed to separate the "mixed multitude" from the congregation of Israel, ensuring the nation remained distinct and holy.
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c. 432 BC
People Hear the Law and Separate Foreigners
Upon hearing the Law again, the people, under Nehemiah's influence, commit to obeying its commands. This results in the expulsion of foreigners and the severing of ties with those who had intermarried, mirroring the earlier reforms under Ezra.
"As soon as the people heard the law, they separated from Israel all those of foreign descent." — The verse doesn't just say they separated "foreigners," but the "mixed multitude," highlighting that the issue wasn't simply ethnicity but the blending of these foreign influences into the community…
