Nehemiah 13:25

I rebuked them and called down curses on them. I beat some of these men and pulled out their hair. Then I made them take an oath before God and said, “You must not give your daughters in marriage to their sons or take their daughters as wives for your sons or for yourselves!

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — Nehemiah confronts Jewish men in Jerusalem who have married foreign women. He acts to halt the community's religious drift while enforcing covenant boundaries.

The words — The Hebrew verb אָרִיב (a.Riv) literally means "I contended" or "I rebuked," marking the start of Nehemiah's confrontation. The verb אֶמְרְטֵם (em.re.Te/m) literally translates to "I pulled out their hair," detailing the physical severity of his corrective action.

The thread — This intermarriage prohibition directly echoes Deuteronomy 7:3 and follows the pattern of Ezra 10:5. Nehemiah 10:29 further anchors the demand in a formal oath to keep the Law of God.

Why it lands — The text commands immediate separation from foreign alliances that compromise covenant faithfulness. It requires readers to place religious identity above social or familial integration.

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

וָאָרִ֤יבva./'a.Rivand/ I contended עִמָּם֙'i.Ma/mwith/ them וָאֲקַֽלְלֵ֔םva./'a.ka.Le/mand/ I cursed/ them וָאַכֶּ֥הva./'a.Kehand/ I struckמֵהֶ֛םme./Hemsome of <the>/ themאֲנָשִׁ֖ים'a.na.Shimmen וָֽאֶמְרְטֵ֑םva./'em.re.Te/mand/ I pulled out beard/ their וָאַשְׁבִּיעֵ֣םva./'ash.bi.'E/mand/ I made take an oath/ them בֵּֽאלֹהִ֗יםbe./lo.Himby/ God אִם־'im-if תִּתְּנ֤וּti.te.Nuyou will give בְנֹֽתֵיכֶם֙ve.no.tei./Khemdaughters/ your לִבְנֵיהֶ֔םli/v.nei./Hemto/ sons/ their וְאִם־ve./'im-and/ if תִּשְׂאוּ֙tis.'Uyou will take מִבְּנֹ֣תֵיהֶ֔םmi./be.No.tei./Hemany of/ daughters/ their לִבְנֵיכֶ֖םli/v.nei./Khemfor/ sons/ yourוְלָכֶֽם׃ve./la./Khemand/ for <the>/ yourselves

King James Version

And I contended with them, and cursed them, and smote certain of them, and plucked off their hair, 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.

Cross-references

Deuteronomy 7:3 Do not intermarry with them. Do not give your daughters to their sons or take their daughters for your sons,
Ezra 10:5 So Ezra got up and made the leading priests, Levites, and all Israel take an oath to do what had been said. And they took the oath.
Nehemiah 10:29 hereby join with their noble brothers and commit themselves with a sworn oath to follow the Law of God given through His servant Moses and to obey carefully all the commandments, ordinances, and statutes of the LORD our Lord.
Nehemiah 13:17 Then I rebuked the nobles of Judah and asked, “What is this evil you are doing—profaning the Sabbath day?
Nehemiah 5:13 I also shook out the folds of my robe and said, “May God likewise shake out of his house and possessions every man who does not keep this promise. May such a man be shaken out and have nothing!” The whole assembly said, “Amen,” and they praised the LORD. And the people did as they had promised.
Nehemiah 13:11 So I rebuked the officials and asked, “Why has the house of God been neglected?” Then I gathered the Levites and singers together and stationed them at their posts,
Exodus 34:16 And when you take some of their daughters as brides for your sons, their daughters will prostitute themselves to their gods and cause your sons to do the same.
Deuteronomy 6:13 Fear the LORD your God, serve Him only, and take your oaths in His name.
Deuteronomy 25:2 If the guilty man deserves to be beaten, the judge shall have him lie down and be flogged in his presence with the number of lashes his crime warrants.
Deuteronomy 27:14 Then the Levites shall proclaim in a loud voice to every Israelite: