Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Nehemiah 13:27
Shall we then hearken unto you to do all this great evil, to transgress against our God in marrying strange wives?
27. Shall we then hearken unto you ] The rendering is disputed.
According to the English Version, the sense is, ‘are we to listen to your expostulations and entreaties, and permit this evil to go on unchecked, when even the saintly Solomon fell because of it?’ This is the rendering of the LXX. , and is reproduced by the Vulg. ‘Numquid et nos inobedientes faciemus.’ The alternative translation throws greater emphasis on the contrast between Solomon and the Jews. ‘And as for you, should it be heard of (i.e. surely if Solomon thus fell, it should be an unheard of thing), that ye should go on the same fatal course of conduct?’ In favour of this rendering is the prominent position of the 2nd plur. pron. at the head of Neh 13:27.
transgress ] R.V. trespass.
wives ] R.V. women. Nehemiah apparently renewed the policy of Ezra (Ezra 10) and urged the Jews to put away from them their Gentile wives.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Verse 27. Shall we then hearken unto you] If God spared not Solomon, who was so much beloved of Him, shall we spare you, who by your conduct are bringing down God’s judgments upon Israel?
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Shall we then hearken unto you? shall we justify our action by permitting or not punishing it? God forbid.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
Shall we then hearken unto you to do all this great evil,…. To suffer it to be done, and connive at it, and not punish for it:
to transgress against our God; his law, his mind, and will:
in marrying strange wives? forbidden by him, De 7:1.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
27. Shall we then hearken unto you Shall we hear to you, that is, in the sense of accepting your views, and consenting to your evil action in this matter? Less simple, we think, is the construction of Bertheau and Keil, who take as third person, Niphal: for you is it hard to do, etc.; that is, is it not unheard of for you to do so great an evil?
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Neh 13:27 Shall we then hearken unto you to do all this great evil, to transgress against our God in marrying strange wives?
Ver. 27. To do all this great evil ] Here are three articles in the Hebrew, importing the heinousness of this sin. See the like, Gen 39:9 .
To transgress against our God
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Shall we . . . ? Figure of speech Erotesis.
evil. Hebrew. ra’a’. App-44.
transgress. Hebrew. ma’al. App-44.
strange = foreign. Hebrew. nakar, as in Neh 13:30.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Shall we then: 1Sa 30:24
to transgress: Ezr 10:2
Reciprocal: 1Ki 11:4 – his wives Pro 2:16 – deliver
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Neh 13:27-28. Shall we then hearken unto you to do all this great evil? That is, would you have me to connive at this wickedness, and so bring guilt upon myself, and ruin upon you? And one of the sons of Joiada, the son of Eliashib, &c. It is supposed Eliashib died before Nehemiah returned from Persia, and that Joiada his son succeeded him as high-priest, one of whose sons had offended in this matter. Was son-in-law to Sanballat the Horaonite He is said by Josephus to have been that Manasseh who, by Sanballats interest, procured liberty to build the Samaritan temple on mount Gerizim; to which those priests who had married strange wives, or been otherwise criminal, betook themselves: and, with or after them, others of the people in the same or like circumstances. Therefore I chased him from me From my presence and court, from the city and temple, and from the congregation and church of Israel.