Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Nehemiah 10:30
And that we would not give our daughters unto the people of the land, nor take their daughters for our sons:
30. Prohibition of Intermarriage with the Heathen
we ] Observe the first person plural here introduced and maintained to Neh 10:39 throughout the rest of the Covenant details.
people ] R.V. peoples.
This prohibition of intermarriage with the people of the land had been strenuously upheld by Ezr 9:2. (See note.) The difficulty of enforcing it appears from Neh 13:23-28. The words of the prohibition seem to be based on Deu 7:3 ‘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.’ Cf. Exo 34:16; Jos 23:12; Jdg 3:6.
It is to be noticed that the so-called Priestly Code gives no such prohibition unless it is implied in Gen 26:35; nor is it found in the central legislative portion of Deut. (12 26).
The Covenant introduces no new enactment, but affirms the Deuteronomic teaching which itself appears to be an expansion of the oldest law in Exo 23:32-33, ‘Thou shalt make no covenant with them, nor with their gods. They shall not dwell in thy land, lest they make thee sin against me.’
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Verse 30. Not give our daughters] Make no affinity with the people of the land.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
We would not give our daughters, to wit, in marriage. Having sworn obedience to Gods laws in the general, they now do so to some particulars, wherein they had lately transgressed, or were most prone to transgress.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
And that we would not give our daughters unto the people of the land, nor take their daughters for our sons,…. Intermarry with them as they had done, and were prone to do, and even did after this,
Ne 13:23.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Neh 10:30 And that we would not give our daughters unto the people of the land, nor take their daughters for our sons:
Ver. 30. And that we would not give our daughters ] This is the first particular branch of the covenant, that they would make no inter-marriages with the heathen; as knowing the snare that herein Satan laid for their souls. In the first sentence against man, this cause is expressed, Because you obeyed the voice of your wife, &c. By the rib, as by a ladder, Satan oft climbs to the heart, and corrupts it, as Gregory hath it. O wives (saith another)! the most sweet poison, the most desired evil in the world, &c. Make a wise choice, therefore. The heathen well saith, that every man, when he marrieth, brings either a good or an evil spirit into his house, and so makes it either a heaven or a hell.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Exo 34:16, Deu 7:3, Ezr 9:1-3, Ezr 9:12-14, Ezr 10:10-12
Reciprocal: Neh 13:23 – married Neh 13:25 – made them Neh 13:30 – cleansed
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Neh 10:30. And that we would not give our daughters Namely, in marriage. Having sworn obedience to Gods laws in the general, they now specify some particular instances, wherein they had lately transgressed, or were most prone to transgress. In our covenants with God, we should engage particularly against those sins that we have been most frequently overtaken in and injured by.