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Intermarriages Forbidden
v. 23. In those days also saw I Jews that had married wives of Asbdod, women of the Philistines, of Ammon, and of Moab, the reforms of Ezra having been set aside;
v. 24. and their children spake half in the speech of Ashdod, a sort of mongrel dialect, with corresponding habits learned from their heathen mothers, and could not speak in the Jews' language, but according to the language of each people.
v. 25. And I contended with them, chiding them not as a private person, but in his capacity as governor of the province, and cursed them and smote certain of them, and plucked off their hair, attacking them in their bodies for their disregard of the Law, 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.
v. 26. Did not Solomon, king of Israel, sin by these things? Cf 1Ki_11:1. Yet among many nations was there no king like him, who was beloved of his God, 2Sa_12:24, and God made him king over all Israel; nevertheless, even him did outlandish women cause to sin, 1Ki_11:4, the conclusion being that ordinary people would be led into misbelief and idolatry all the sooner.
v. 27. Shall we, then, hearken unto you to do all this great evil, to transgress against our God in marrying strange wives? The inference was, of course, that their bad example would lead others into the same sin.
v. 28. And one of the sans of Joiada, the son of Eliashib, the high priest, was son-in-law to Sanballat the Horonite, one of the implacable enemies of the Jews; therefore I chased him from me, forcing him to leave Jerusalem, so that he could no longer derive his support from the treasury of the priests.
v. 29. Remember them, O my God, because they have defiled the priesthood, Deu_33:8-11; Lev_21:6-8, and the covenant of the priesthood and of the Levites, bringing disgrace upon their office and setting a bad example for others.
v. 30. Thus cleansed I them from all strangers, by separating the mixed population from the Jews of pure blood, and appointed the wards of the priests and the Levites, every one in his business, restoring the ancient worship in all its parts;
v. 31. and for the wood-offering, at times appointed, Neh_10:34, and for the first-fruits. Remember me, O my God, for good! It is the Lord who rewards His faithful servants if they are zealous for His honor and truth and consistently oppose all godless, worldly innovations.