Intermarriage with Neighboring Peoples (Nehemiah 13:23–31)
1 ULT Now as soon as these things were finished, the leaders came to me, saying,“The people of Israel, and the priests, and the Levites have not separated themselves from the peoples of the lands according to their abominations, of the Canaanite, the Hittite, the Perizzite, the Jebusite, the Ammonite, the Moabite, the Egyptian, and the Amorite. BSB BSB: 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.
2 ULT For they have lifted from their daughters for themselves and for their sons, so they have mixed the seed of holiness with the peoples of the lands. And the hand of the leaders and the rulers has been first in this unfaithfulness.” BSB BSB: Indeed, the Israelites have taken some of their daughters as wives for themselves and their sons, so that the holy seed has been mixed with the people of the land. And the leaders and officials have taken the lead in this unfaithfulness!”
3 ULT And as soon as I heard this matter, I tore my garment and my robe. And I pulled out some from the hair of my head and my beard, and I sat down appalled. BSB BSB: When I heard this report, I tore my tunic and cloak, pulled out some hair from my head and beard, and sat down in horror.
4 ULT And all who trembled at the words of the God of Israel on account of the unfaithfulness of the exiles were gathered to me. And I was sitting appalled until the offering of the evening. BSB BSB: Then everyone who trembled at the words of the God of Israel gathered around me because of the unfaithfulness of the exiles, while I sat there in horror until the evening offering.
Ezra’s Prayer of Confession 5 ULT And at the offering of the evening I arose from my humiliation, and when I tore my garment and my robe. And I knelt down on my knees, and spread out my palms to Yahweh my God. BSB BSB: At the evening offering, I got up from my humiliation with my tunic and cloak torn, and I fell on my knees, spread out my hands to the LORD my God,
6 ULT And I said,“My God, I am ashamed and humiliated to raise my face to you, my God. For our iniquities have multiplied to above the head, and our guilt has grown up as far as to the heavens. BSB BSB: and said: “O my God, I am ashamed and embarrassed to lift up my face to You, my God, because our iniquities are higher than our heads, and our guilt has reached the heavens.
7 ULT From the days of our fathers until this day we are in great guilt. And in our iniquities, we ourselves, our kings, and our priests have been given into the hand of the kings of the lands by sword, by captivity, and by plunder, and by shame of face, as this day. BSB BSB: From the days of our fathers to this day, our guilt has been great. Because of our iniquities, we and our kings and priests have been delivered into the hands of the kings of the earth and subjected to the sword and to captivity, to pillage and humiliation, as we are this day.
8 ULT But now, according to a little moment, favor has come from with Yahweh our God to leave for us survivors and to give to us a peg in his holy place, for our God to brighten our eyes and to give us a little reviving in our slavery. BSB BSB: But now, for a brief moment, grace has come from the LORD our God to preserve for us a remnant and to give us a stake in His holy place. Even in our bondage, our God has given us new life and light to our eyes.
9 ULT For we are slaves, yet our God has not forsaken us in our slavery. But he has extended to us covenant faithfulness before the face of the kings of Persia to give to us reviving, to raise up the house of our God and to cause its ruins to stand, and to give to us a wall in Judah and in Jerusalem. BSB BSB: Though we are slaves, our God has not forsaken us in our bondage, but He has extended to us grace in the sight of the kings of Persia, giving us new life to rebuild the house of our God and repair its ruins, and giving us a wall of protection in Judah and Jerusalem.
10 ULT So now, our God, what can we say after this? For we have forsaken your commandments, BSB BSB: And now, our God, what can we say after this? For we have forsaken the commandments
11 ULT which you commanded by the hand of your servants, the prophets, saying,‘The land that you are entering to possess is a land of impurity by the impurity of the peoples of the lands, by their abominations that have filled it from mouth to mouth with their uncleanness. BSB BSB: that You gave through Your servants the prophets, saying: ‘The land that you are entering to possess is a land polluted by the impurity of its peoples and the abominations with which they have filled it from end to end.
12 ULT So now, neither give your daughters to their sons nor lift their daughters for your sons, nor shall you seek their peace or their good until eternity, so that you may be strong and eat the good things of the land and cause your sons to inherit it until eternity.’ BSB BSB: Now, therefore, do not give your daughters in marriage to their sons or take their daughters for your sons. Never seek their peace or prosperity, so that you may be strong and may eat the good things of the land, leaving it as an inheritance to your sons forever.’
13 ULT Yet after all that has come upon us because of our evil deeds and because of our great guilt(although you, our God, you have restrained it to lower than our iniquities, and you have given to us a survival such as this), BSB BSB: After all that has come upon us because of our evil deeds and our great guilt (though You, our God, have punished us less than our iniquities deserve and have given us such a remnant as this),
14 ULT should we return to breaking your commandments and to intermarrying with the peoples of these abominations? Would you not be angry with us as far as completion, so that there is neither remnant nor survivors? BSB BSB: shall we again break Your commandments and intermarry with the peoples who commit these abominations? Would You not become so angry with us as to wipe us out, leaving no remnant or survivor?
15 ULT Yahweh, the God of Israel, you are righteous, for we are left as survivors, as this day. Behold us, before your face in our guilt, for there is none to stand before your face on account of this.” BSB BSB: O LORD, God of Israel, You are righteous! For we remain this day as a remnant. Here we are before You in our guilt, though because of it no one can stand before You.”
Select verses for actions: Enter goes to them and Escape comes back.