Nehemiah 13 27

Nehemiah 13:27 kjv

Shall we then hearken unto you to do all this great evil, to transgress against our God in marrying strange wives?

Nehemiah 13:27 nkjv

Should we then hear of your doing all this great evil, transgressing against our God by marrying pagan women?"

Nehemiah 13:27 niv

Must we hear now that you too are doing all this terrible wickedness and are being unfaithful to our God by marrying foreign women?"

Nehemiah 13:27 esv

Shall we then listen to you and do all this great evil and act treacherously against our God by marrying foreign women?"

Nehemiah 13:27 nlt

How could you even think of committing this sinful deed and acting unfaithfully toward God by marrying foreign women?"

Nehemiah 13 verses

Nehemiah 13 27 Meaning

Nehemiah 13:27 poses a rhetorical question from Nehemiah, emphatically rejecting any suggestion that the leadership or community should tolerate or repeat the severe offense of intermarrying with foreign women. He frames this practice not merely as a social misstep but as "great evil" and an act of profound unfaithfulness, or treachery (ma'al), against God. The core issue is the potential for idolatry and the dilution of Israel's covenant purity, reminiscent of previous failures that led to judgment.

Nehemiah 13 27 Context

Nehemiah chapter 13 details Nehemiah’s second return to Jerusalem after being away for some time. Upon his return, he discovers that many of the reforms he had previously instituted (such as tithing, Sabbath observance, and the prohibition of mixed marriages) have been neglected or outright violated. Verses 23-26 specifically address the issue of Judahite men who had married foreign women from Ashdod, Ammon, and Moab, leading to their children not even speaking the language of Judah. Nehemiah's forceful reaction, including striking the men and pulling out their hair, demonstrates his deep anger and distress over this violation of God's law and the covenant. Verse 27, therefore, is Nehemiah's impassioned rhetorical question, defending his actions and asserting the absolute necessity of separating from foreign wives to maintain fidelity to God, rather than permitting such a "great evil." It underlines his unyielding commitment to God's commands and the preservation of the covenant community's holiness and identity, drawing lessons from Israel's past failures, especially King Solomon's.

Nehemiah 13 27 Word analysis

• Should we then listen to you: This begins a rhetorical question, indicating Nehemiah's incredulity and stern disapproval. He is confronting those who might seek to defend or rationalize the practice of marrying foreign women, or perhaps those who were simply apathetic or compliant.
• and permit you: Implies a passive acceptance or endorsement by those in leadership or the community. Nehemiah refuses to allow such a grave sin to continue under his watch or the watch of the restored community.
• to do: Implies actively engaging in the practice, not merely tolerating it.
• all this great evil: (Hebrew: kol hara'a haggĕdôlâ hazzō't)
  • hara'a: 'evil', 'wickedness', 'calamity'. This is not just a mistake or an unfortunate situation, but a deep moral wrong.
  • haggĕdôlâ: 'the great'. This intensifies the evil, underscoring its profound implications and magnitude. It suggests a sin with widespread and devastating spiritual consequences, not merely a minor infraction. It contrasts sharply with "great prosperity" often sought in alliances.
• to act unfaithfully: (Hebrew: limal)
  • From the root ma'al (מעל): "to act unfaithfully," "to trespass," "to commit a sacrilege," "to break faith," "to deal treacherously." This term often refers to a breach of covenant trust, a desecration of something holy, or an offense against God's direct commands, especially related to the sanctuary or things dedicated to God (e.g., Num 5:6-7, Lev 5:15, Josh 7:1). Its use here elevates mixed marriage from a social transgression to a serious theological offense directly against God's covenant.
• against our God: This explicitly states the object of the unfaithfulness. The sin is not just against community norms or Nehemiah's rules, but directly against the Lord, their covenant God. This emphasizes that God is personally offended and betrayed.
• by marrying foreign women: (Hebrew: laśe't nâshîm nokhriyyôt)
  • laśe't: "to take," specifically to take a wife, to marry.
  • nokhriyyôt: "foreign women," 'alien', 'strange', not part of the covenant people. This is the specific transgression that embodies the "great evil" and "unfaithfulness." The issue was not ethnicity alone, but the spiritual implications of marrying outside the covenant community, leading to the introduction of foreign gods, practices, and a blurring of Israel’s distinct identity. These marriages posed a direct threat to the exclusive worship of Yahweh and the unique purpose of God's chosen people.

Words-group by words-group analysis

• Should we then listen to you and permit you: This phrase encapsulates Nehemiah's authoritative stance and refusal to compromise. It implies that there might have been attempts by some to justify or soften the approach to these mixed marriages, or even suggestions that Nehemiah should relax his stance. His response is a resounding "no," affirming his role as a zealous leader.
• to do all this great evil: This refers to the entirety of the consequences and nature of the act. The "great evil" isn't merely the marriage but what it represents and leads to: covenant breaking, apostasy, loss of distinct identity, and generational dilution of faith, as witnessed by the children not speaking the Judean language. It reflects a systemic breakdown of covenant fidelity.
• to act unfaithfully against our God: This specific phrase highlights the profound theological dimension of the sin. It is a direct betrayal of the covenant God. The covenant defined Israel's relationship with God, and these marriages fundamentally undermined that sacred bond, similar to idolatry which is often portrayed as spiritual adultery.
• by marrying foreign women: This phrase states the concrete action that constitutes the "great evil" and "unfaithfulness." It’s the visible manifestation of a deeper spiritual disloyalty and lack of faith in God's provision and promises for the covenant people to remain separate and holy. It encapsulates the core problem that Ezra and Nehemiah vehemently addressed, as it had historically led Israel into idolatry and national judgment.

Nehemiah 13 27 Bonus section

The issue of foreign marriages in Nehemiah, similar to Ezra, was primarily a spiritual and theological concern, not solely racial or ethnic. The core fear was syncretism and idolatry—the adoption of the pagan practices and worship of foreign deities that these women would invariably bring with them (Dt 7:3-4). This constituted a direct attack on Israel's unique identity as God's covenant people, a "holy nation." The language barrier among the children (Neh 13:24) was a symptom of a deeper spiritual problem: the children were losing their Israelite identity and possibly the knowledge of the Lord's law because their mothers did not speak the sacred tongue or perhaps transmit the covenant heritage effectively. Nehemiah's violent reaction (v. 25) underscores the extreme gravity he assigned to this covenant violation, reflecting prophetic zeal akin to Phinehas's zeal in Numbers 25. His rhetorical question in verse 27 encapsulates the dire choice before the community: remain faithful to God's exclusive demands or revert to the idolatrous patterns of the past that brought God's judgment.

Nehemiah 13 27 Commentary

Nehemiah 13:27 is the passionate climax of Nehemiah's confrontation regarding mixed marriages. It's not a mere question but a fierce condemnation and an absolute refusal to condone actions that breach the covenant with God. Nehemiah saw marrying foreign women not as a minor social misstep but as "great evil" (hara'a haggĕdôlâ) and "unfaithfulness" or "treachery" (ma'al) against the very God who delivered and established them. This was a profound theological issue, as intermarriage invariably led to adopting foreign deities and customs, defiling the holy community, and ultimately leading to God's judgment. Nehemiah’s outrage stemmed from the historical pattern: this very sin had led to the downfall of powerful figures like Solomon and contributed to national apostasy and exile. He knew that for the restored community to thrive and be distinct, purity in worship and covenant fidelity were non-negotiable, asserting that preserving spiritual identity and loyalty to God was paramount above all other considerations. This uncompromising stance secured the spiritual and communal boundaries of the returned exiles.