Bible Strands
Deuteronomy 7:3
Do not intermarry with them. Do not give your daughters to their sons or take their daughters for your sons,
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — The speaker addresses the Israelites regarding the nations God has delivered over to them for complete destruction. He issues a direct prohibition concerning marital alliances with these remaining peoples.
The words — The Hebrew verb תִתְחַתֵּן (tit.cha.ten) means "you will intermarry," paired with תִתֵּן (ti.ten) "you will give." These terms form a double prohibition against exchanging daughters with the sons or daughters of the local populations.
The thread — This prohibition echoes in Exodus 34:15 regarding covenant-making with inhabitants, Joshua 23:12 concerning intermarriage with remaining nations, and 1 Kings 11:2 which cites the original command regarding foreign wives.
Why it lands — The text demands strict separation to prevent the next generation from abandoning the worship of Yahweh for foreign gods. It requires readers to prioritize religious fidelity over social or familial integration with surrounding cultures.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
Neither shalt thou make marriages with them; thy daughter thou shalt not give unto his son, nor his daughter shalt thou take unto thy son.
Cross-references
- 1 Kings 11:2 These women were from the nations about which the LORD had told the Israelites, “You must not intermarry with them, for surely they will turn your hearts after their gods.” Yet Solomon clung to these women in love.
- Joshua 23:12 For if you turn away and cling to the rest of these nations that remain among you, and if you intermarry and associate with them,
- Exodus 34:15 Do not make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land, for when they prostitute themselves to their gods and sacrifice to them, they will invite you, and you will eat their sacrifices.
- Judges 3:6 And they took the daughters of these people in marriage, gave their own daughters to their sons, and served their gods.
- Nehemiah 13:23 In those days I also saw Jews who had married women from Ashdod, Ammon, and Moab.
- 2 Corinthians 6:14 Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership can righteousness have with wickedness? Or what fellowship does light have with darkness?
- Genesis 6:2 the sons of God saw that the daughters of men were beautiful, and they took as wives whomever they chose.
- Ezra 9:1 After these things had been accomplished, the leaders approached me and said, “The people of Israel, including the priests and Levites, have not kept themselves separate from the surrounding peoples whose abominations are like those of the Canaanites, Hittites, Perizzites, Jebusites, Ammonites, Moabites, Egyptians, and Amorites.