Nehemiah 10 30

Nehemiah 10:30 kjv

And that we would not give our daughters unto the people of the land, not take their daughters for our sons:

Nehemiah 10:30 nkjv

We would not give our daughters as wives to the peoples of the land, nor take their daughters for our sons;

Nehemiah 10:30 niv

"We promise not to give our daughters in marriage to the peoples around us or take their daughters for our sons.

Nehemiah 10:30 esv

We will not give our daughters to the peoples of the land or take their daughters for our sons.

Nehemiah 10:30 nlt

"We promise not to let our daughters marry the pagan people of the land, and not to let our sons marry their daughters.

Nehemiah 10 verses

Nehemiah 10 30 Meaning

Nehemiah 10:30 represents a solemn vow and covenant pledge made by the returning exiles in Jerusalem to uphold the Mosaic Law concerning marriage. Specifically, it articulates their commitment not to engage in intermarriage with the idolatrous surrounding peoples, prohibiting both giving their own daughters to non-Israelite sons and taking foreign daughters for their own sons. This commitment was crucial for preserving their distinct covenant identity and preventing the infiltration of pagan worship and practices into the community of faith.

Nehemiah 10 30 Context

Nehemiah chapter 10 records the covenant renewal by the returned exiles in Jerusalem after the rebuilding of the city walls. Following a profound confession of sin (chapter 9) where the Levites recounted Israel's history of rebellion and God's faithfulness, the people led by their leaders and Levites committed themselves by an oath and curse to walk in God's Law. This chapter lists the specific pledges made in the sealed document, which the leadership signed. Verse 30 directly addresses the critical issue of intermarriage, a significant reason for Israel's prior apostasy and divine judgment. The historical context is the post-exilic period, roughly the mid-5th century BCE, where the Jewish community sought to re-establish their spiritual and national identity in the Promised Land under Persian rule, aiming to prevent the repetition of past sins that led to exile.

Nehemiah 10 30 Word analysis

• We: Refers to the collective body of Israelite men and women, particularly the leaders, Levites, priests, and the entire assembly who "entered into a curse and an oath" (Neh 10:29) to walk in God's Law. This signifies a communal, deliberate commitment.
• will not give: This is a strong, negative vow, signifying a firm resolve and an oath-bound refusal. It underscores the decisive break with past disobedience.
• our daughters: Refers to the female offspring of the Israelites. This highlights the concern for preserving the religious and cultural purity of their lineage through the women who would marry into families. Daughters marrying outside the faith could dilute and compromise future generations.
• to the peoples of the land: (עַמּוֹת הָאֲרָצוֹת, 'ammot ha'aratsot) Refers to the non-Israelite inhabitants dwelling in the surrounding regions or even within Judah. These peoples generally practiced polytheism and idolatry, and were seen as a spiritual danger. The concern was primarily religious contamination, not simply ethnic difference, as they embodied pagan customs and worship.
• or take: Implies the reciprocal act of bringing in, also under the same strict prohibition. This addresses the other half of intermarriage – when Israelite men take foreign wives.
• their daughters: Refers to the female offspring of the non-Israelite inhabitants. The fear was that these women, often bringing their ancestral deities and practices, would corrupt Israelite households and lead Israelite men away from Yahweh worship.
• for our sons: Refers to the male offspring of the Israelites. This completes the comprehensive prohibition, ensuring both incoming and outgoing intermarriage connections are severed to maintain covenant purity.

Words-group by words-group analysis

• "We will not give our daughters to the peoples of the land": This phrase addresses the protection of the community from losing its purity from within. By giving their daughters to foreign sons, Israelite families would extend their lineage and potentially their faith into pagan households, compromising the religious identity of the new generations and inadvertently supporting pagan systems. It represents a boundary around their internal community.
• "or take their daughters for our sons": This part completes the commitment by preventing external contamination from entering the Israelite community. By taking foreign daughters as wives, Israelite sons would introduce idolatry, foreign customs, and spiritual syncretism directly into their homes, as seen vividly throughout Israel's history. It represents a protective wall against outside spiritual compromise.
• Overall Pledge on Marriage: The two halves of the verse collectively emphasize a total separation from the religious practices and influences of surrounding nations through marital bonds. This commitment was foundational to maintaining Israel’s identity as a holy nation, set apart for the Lord, and vital for preventing the religious syncretism that plagued them pre-exile. It reflects the recognition that true purity of faith must start within the family unit and be safeguarded across generations.

Nehemiah 10 30 Bonus section

This solemn oath highlights the post-exilic community's awareness of their past failures, particularly their neglect of Mosaic law concerning distinctness and the profound impact of family spiritual environments on national faith. The specific mention of "our daughters" and "our sons" underscores the covenant's emphasis on intergenerational faithfulness. It reveals a desire to protect the very fabric of the Israelite household as the foundational unit for transmitting pure Yahwistic worship. The "peoples of the land" also likely refers to those non-Israelite populations who had remained or settled in the land during the Babylonian exile and represented a constant spiritual temptation and syncretistic influence that could undermine the spiritual revival sought by Ezra and Nehemiah. This pledge was therefore a preventative measure against repeating the sins that led to the Babylonian exile itself.

Nehemiah 10 30 Commentary

Nehemiah 10:30 encapsulates a core tenet of the covenant renewed by the returned exiles: strict separation from pagan influence through marriage. This was not a racist edict but a theological imperative. The "peoples of the land" were not just ethnically distinct, but fundamentally differed in their worship and life principles. Intermarriage consistently led Israel astray from Yahweh into idolatry, weakening their distinct identity as God's chosen people. By vowing to refrain from giving their daughters to or taking daughters from these nations, the Israelites aimed to safeguard the spiritual future of their families and the nation, recognizing the profound spiritual impact of spousal relationships on household and societal faith. This oath reinforced earlier Mosaic commands, acknowledging the bitter lessons of exile that intermarriage had been a significant contributor to their downfall. The enduring principle is one of seeking partners who share a common commitment to God, lest a believer be "unequally yoked" and drawn away from faithfulness. For example, a commitment to Christian faith for individuals in the modern church, reflecting the importance of spiritual alignment in marriage for purity and growth.