Nehemiah 13:28 kjv
And one of the sons of Joiada, the son of Eliashib the high priest, was son in law to Sanballat the Horonite: therefore I chased him from me.
Nehemiah 13:28 nkjv
And one of the sons of Joiada, the son of Eliashib the high priest, was a son-in-law of Sanballat the Horonite; therefore I drove him from me.
Nehemiah 13:28 niv
One of the sons of Joiada son of Eliashib the high priest was son-in-law to Sanballat the Horonite. And I drove him away from me.
Nehemiah 13:28 esv
And one of the sons of Jehoiada, the son of Eliashib the high priest, was the son-in-law of Sanballat the Horonite. Therefore I chased him from me.
Nehemiah 13:28 nlt
One of the sons of Joiada son of Eliashib the high priest had married a daughter of Sanballat the Horonite, so I banished him from my presence.
Nehemiah 13 28 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Deut 7:3-4 | You shall not intermarry with them, giving your daughters to their sons... lest they turn away your sons... | Prohibits intermarriage to prevent idolatry. |
| Exo 34:15-16 | lest you make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land... and you take of their daughters for your sons... | Warns against alliances through marriage. |
| Ezra 9:1-2 | the holy race has mixed itself with the peoples of the lands. And in this faithlessness the hand of the officials and leading men has been foremost. | Highlights similar intermarriage issues post-exile. |
| Ezra 10:10-11 | "You have transgressed and married foreign women, adding to the guilt of Israel. Now then make confession... and separate yourselves..." | Calls for separation from foreign spouses. |
| Mal 2:11 | "Judah has been faithless, and abomination has been committed... For Judah has married the daughter of a foreign god." | Denounces intermarriage as spiritual infidelity. |
| Lev 18:24-30 | Do not defile yourselves by any of these things... for by all these the nations I am driving out before you defiled themselves. | Emphasizes holiness and separation from pagan practices. |
| 2 Cor 6:14-18 | Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers... What agreement has the temple of God with idols? | New Testament principle of separation. |
| Rev 18:4 | "Come out of her, my people, lest you take part in her sins, lest you share in her plagues." | Call to separate from spiritual Babylon. |
| Psa 1:1 | Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners... | Principle of separation from wicked counsel. |
| Prov 4:14-15 | Do not enter the path of the wicked, and do not walk in the way of the evil. Avoid it... | Admonishes against close association with evil. |
| Num 25:1-9 | Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, son of Aaron the priest, turned back my wrath... in that he was jealous... | Illustrates zealous action against sin, specifically sexual immorality linked to idolatry. |
| Neh 2:10 | When Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite slave heard this, it displeased them greatly... | Sanballat as an opponent of Nehemiah. |
| Neh 4:1-2 | When Sanballat heard that we were building the wall, he was angry and greatly enraged... | Sanballat's active opposition to the work. |
| Neh 6:1-2 | Now when Sanballat and Tobiah and Geshem the Arab... heard that I had built the wall... they sent to me, saying, "Come and let us meet..." | Sanballat's consistent plotting against Nehemiah. |
| Neh 6:12 | And I perceived that behold, God had not sent him, but he pronounced the prophecy against me because Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him. | Reveals Sanballat's corrupting influence. |
| Neh 13:4-5 | Before this, Eliashib the priest, who was appointed over the chambers of the house of our God, and who was related to Tobiah, prepared for him a large chamber... | Eliashib's earlier compromise and relationship with Tobiah. |
| Neh 13:7-9 | "I then came to Jerusalem, and I ascertained the evil that Eliashib had done for Tobiah..." | Nehemiah rectifies Eliashib's past wrong. |
| Neh 13:8-9 | and I threw all the household furnishings of Tobiah out of the chamber. Then I gave orders, and they cleansed the chambers... | Nehemiah's zeal for cleansing defilement. |
| Neh 13:11 | So I confronted the officials and said, "Why is the house of God forsaken?" And I gathered them together and set them in their places. | Nehemiah confronting leaders about duty. |
| Neh 13:25 | I contended with them and cursed them and beat some of them and pulled out their hair. And I made them swear by God... | Nehemiah's zealous measures against offenders. |
| Lev 21:7 | They shall not marry a prostitute or a woman who has been defiled, nor shall they marry a woman divorced... | Priests held to higher marriage standards. |
| Lev 21:13-15 | And he shall take a wife in her virginity. A widow, or a divorced woman, or a woman who has been defiled... he shall not take. | Further marriage restrictions for the High Priest. |
| Mal 2:4-9 | "My covenant with Levi was one of life and peace... but you have turned aside from the way." | Condemns priests for abandoning their covenant duty. |
| Eze 44:22 | "They shall not marry a widow or a divorced woman, but only virgins of the offspring of the house of Israel..." | Similar marriage standards for priests in new temple vision. |
| 1 Cor 5:13 | "Purge the evil person from among you." | Command to expel immoral persons from the community. |
| Rom 16:17 | I appeal to you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught; avoid them. | Instruction to avoid those causing division and opposing sound doctrine. |
| 2 Thess 3:6 | Now we command you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you keep away from any brother who is walking in idleness and not according to the tradition that you received... | Exhortation to withdraw from disorderly members. |
| Deut 28:15 | But if you will not obey the voice of the LORD your God... then all these curses shall come upon you and overtake you. | Consequences of disobedience to God's law. |
| Jer 3:8-9 | She defiled the land, by her whoring with stone and tree. And yet for all this her treacherous sister Judah did not return... | Spiritual prostitution (idolatry) through pagan associations. |
Nehemiah 13 verses
Nehemiah 13 28 Meaning
Nehemiah 13:28 details Nehemiah's resolute action against a direct descendant of the high priest Eliashib. This individual had established a forbidden marital alliance with a daughter of Sanballat the Horonite, a formidable adversary of the rebuilding efforts in Jerusalem. Recognizing the severe spiritual danger this union posed to the purity of the priesthood and the entire community, Nehemiah immediately expelled him from Jerusalem and from his presence.
Nehemiah 13 28 Context
Nehemiah 13 marks Nehemiah's return to Jerusalem after an absence (likely to Susa, serving Artaxerxes, as implied by Neh 13:6). Upon his return, he found the people had severely neglected the reforms he had previously implemented. The temple was desecrated by Tobiah the Ammonite, tithes were neglected, the Sabbath was profaned, and widespread intermarriage with foreign women was rampant. Verse 28 specifically addresses the egregious instance of a member of the high priestly family intermarrying with the lineage of Sanballat, one of Judah's staunchest adversaries during the rebuilding. This specific event culminates Nehemiah's zealous and forceful response to the spiritual decline he witnessed, emphasizing that even the highest religious office was not exempt from adhering to God's laws, especially regarding the purity of the community.
Nehemiah 13 28 Word analysis
- And one of the sons of Joiada (וּמִבְּנֵי יוֹיָדָע - u'mibnei Yoyada`): This identifies the offender as part of a significant priestly lineage, intensifying the severity of his transgression. Joiada was the son of Eliashib, meaning this individual was a grandson of the current high priest. This underscores the moral decay permeating even the highest levels of the religious leadership.
- the son of Eliashib the high priest (בֶּן-אֶלְיָשִׁיב הַכֹּהֵן הַגָּדֹל - ben-Elyashiv hakkohen haggadol): Eliashib was the sitting high priest during Nehemiah's time. This explicitly links the offender to the apex of the nation's spiritual authority. His familial connection made his defiance of God's law particularly scandalous and set a terrible example for the community, compromising the sanctity required of the priestly line.
- was son-in-law (חָתָן - hatan): This Hebrew term directly denotes a marriage alliance, meaning he married a daughter of Sanballat. This was not a casual association but a covenant relationship directly prohibited by the Mosaic Law (Deut 7:3).
- to Sanballat the Horonite (לְסַנְבַּלַּט הַחֹרֹנִי - leSanbalat haChoroni): Sanballat was not merely a foreigner but Judah's consistent and bitter adversary (Neh 2:10, 4:1-8, 6:1-14). Marrying into his family was a severe act of disloyalty, compromising the nation's security and spiritual integrity, demonstrating a blatant disregard for both God's command and the community's welfare. The designation "Horonite" suggests his origin from Beth-Horon or Horonaim, indicating a foreign identity hostile to Israel.
- therefore I chased him from me (וָאַבְרִיחֵהוּ מֵעָלָי - va'avrichehu me'alay): Nehemiah's response is swift, direct, and uncompromising. "Chased him" implies a forceful expulsion or banishment, demonstrating Nehemiah's absolute zero-tolerance for such grievous violations within the leadership. "From me" could imply from Nehemiah's sight, presence, or from Jerusalem and the holy community. This act asserted the paramount importance of divine law over political or social convenience, regardless of the individual's high status.
Words-group by words-group analysis:
- "one of the sons of Joiada, the son of Eliashib the high priest": This entire phrase emphasizes the profound shock and disappointment of such a transgression originating from the very heart of Israel's spiritual leadership. The High Priest's own direct lineage was meant to uphold God's law and maintain holiness (Lev 21), yet here was blatant violation.
- "was son-in-law to Sanballat the Horonite": This identifies the specific and highly provocative nature of the offense. It was not merely marrying a foreign woman but forming an alliance with the nation's arch-enemy, signaling not only religious compromise but also political vulnerability and betrayal. This threatened to undermine all the efforts of purification and rebuilding.
- "therefore I chased him from me": This concise phrase powerfully conveys Nehemiah's righteous indignation, decisive leadership, and immediate execution of divine judgment without hesitation or compromise. It symbolizes a purification of the community, beginning with the eradication of compromise at its highest levels.
Nehemiah 13 28 Bonus section
The historical and rabbinic traditions, particularly Josephus (Antiquities XI.8.2-4), identify the individual mentioned in Nehemiah 13:28 as Manasseh, brother of Jaddua, the High Priest who succeeded Eliashib. Josephus goes further, stating that Sanballat constructed a rival temple on Mount Gerizim for his son-in-law, thus giving rise to the Samaritan religious schism. While Nehemiah's text itself does not name the individual or directly link the expulsion to the Samaritan temple's founding, this interpretation has profoundly shaped later Jewish understanding and theological polemics concerning Samaritan origins. Within Nehemiah's narrative, the core issue remains the immediate breach of covenant purity by a high-ranking priestly family member and Nehemiah's swift, decisive response to cleanse Israel from internal defilement and external compromise. The long-term implications, if the Manasseh tradition is accurate, highlight how a single act of disobedience from leadership can have lasting and divisive consequences for the people of God.
Nehemiah 13 28 Commentary
Nehemiah 13:28 serves as a pivotal demonstration of Nehemiah's unyielding commitment to God's covenant and his zealous purification of the Jewish community. The intermarriage of a direct descendant of the high priest Eliashib with Sanballat's family represented the pinnacle of spiritual compromise and defilement that Nehemiah had returned to confront. This union directly defied explicit Mosaic prohibitions against intermarriage, which were designed to safeguard Israel's unique identity and prevent religious syncretism (Deut 7:3-4). For a member of the priesthood, whose family was specifically entrusted with upholding holiness and teaching God's law (Lev 21; Mal 2:7), such an act was not merely a social misstep but a profound betrayal of their sacred calling and the entire community's spiritual well-being.
Nehemiah's forceful expulsion of this individual highlights several crucial points:
- Impartial Justice: Nehemiah showed no partiality, even towards the high priest's family. Sin was to be addressed regardless of status or familial connection, demonstrating a commitment to God's standards above human ties.
- Zero Tolerance for Compromise: This act reflects Nehemiah's understanding that even a single breach of the covenant, especially from leadership, could lead to widespread apostasy. He understood that half-measures were insufficient to stem the tide of spiritual decay.
- Zeal for God's House and Name: His "chasing him from me" was an act of holy indignation, reflecting the fervor necessary to preserve the holiness of Jerusalem and the people of God (compare with Phinehas' zeal in Num 25). It served as a clear message that purity was paramount.
Practically, this verse emphasizes the ongoing spiritual battle against compromise within God's people. It teaches that leadership must uphold biblical standards with unwavering conviction.
- Example: A Christian leader prioritizing personal relationships over biblical teachings for marriage (e.g., condoning marrying an unbeliever) might mirror this compromise.
- Example: Any believer choosing affiliations or practices that directly contradict clear biblical commands due to convenience or social pressure is walking a path similar to that addressed by Nehemiah.