Nehemiah 13:27 - Shall we then listen to you to do all this great evil, to trespass against our God in marrying foreign women?”
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What does "Nehemiah 13:27" mean?
This verse, Nehemiah 13:27, expresses Nehemiah's outrage and condemnation of the Israelites' practice of marrying foreign women. To understand its meaning, we need to break it down:
"Shall we then listen to you...": Nehemiah is speaking to the leaders of the community. He's expressing disbelief and disappointment that they, who should be setting an example, are allowing this to happen. He's questioning their authority and their dedication to God's laws.
"...to do all this great evil...": Nehemiah considers marrying foreign women a "great evil." This is because these women were often from nations that did not worship the Israelite God (Yahweh). They brought with them their own religious practices and beliefs, which could lead the Israelites away from their faith.
"...to trespass against our God...": This is the core of Nehemiah's concern. Marrying foreign women who worshipped other gods was seen as a direct violation of God's commandments and a betrayal of their covenant with Him. It was considered a form of idolatry, as it could lead the Israelites to adopt foreign religious practices.
"...in marrying foreign women?": This clarifies the specific action that Nehemiah is condemning. He sees these marriages not simply as personal choices but as acts that threaten the spiritual integrity of the entire community.
In essence, Nehemiah is accusing the leaders and the community of committing a grave sin by allowing and participating in marriages with foreign women who worshiped other gods. He believes this act is a betrayal of their covenant with God and will lead to further spiritual decay and God's judgment.
The context of the book of Nehemiah is crucial for understanding this verse. Nehemiah has returned to Jerusalem to rebuild the city and restore the Jewish community after the Babylonian exile. He is deeply concerned with maintaining the purity of the Jewish faith and preventing the Israelites from repeating the sins that led to their exile in the first place. The prohibition against marrying foreign women was seen as a way to safeguard the community's religious identity and prevent assimilation into the surrounding cultures.
Nehemiah 13:27 - Shall we then listen to you to do all this great evil, to trespass against our God in marrying foreign women?”
What does "Nehemiah 13:27" mean?
This verse, Nehemiah 13:27, expresses Nehemiah's outrage and condemnation of the Israelites' practice of marrying foreign women. To understand its meaning, we need to break it down:
"Shall we then listen to you...": Nehemiah is speaking to the leaders of the community. He's expressing disbelief and disappointment that they, who should be setting an example, are allowing this to happen. He's questioning their authority and their dedication to God's laws.
"...to do all this great evil...": Nehemiah considers marrying foreign women a "great evil." This is because these women were often from nations that did not worship the Israelite God (Yahweh). They brought with them their own religious practices and beliefs, which could lead the Israelites away from their faith.
"...to trespass against our God...": This is the core of Nehemiah's concern. Marrying foreign women who worshipped other gods was seen as a direct violation of God's commandments and a betrayal of their covenant with Him. It was considered a form of idolatry, as it could lead the Israelites to adopt foreign religious practices.
"...in marrying foreign women?": This clarifies the specific action that Nehemiah is condemning. He sees these marriages not simply as personal choices but as acts that threaten the spiritual integrity of the entire community.
In essence, Nehemiah is accusing the leaders and the community of committing a grave sin by allowing and participating in marriages with foreign women who worshiped other gods. He believes this act is a betrayal of their covenant with God and will lead to further spiritual decay and God's judgment.
The context of the book of Nehemiah is crucial for understanding this verse. Nehemiah has returned to Jerusalem to rebuild the city and restore the Jewish community after the Babylonian exile. He is deeply concerned with maintaining the purity of the Jewish faith and preventing the Israelites from repeating the sins that led to their exile in the first place. The prohibition against marrying foreign women was seen as a way to safeguard the community's religious identity and prevent assimilation into the surrounding cultures.