Intermarriage with Neighboring Peoples
(Nehemiah 13:23–31)

1  וּכְכַלּ֣וֹת (And at the completion) אֵ֗לֶּה (of these things) נִגְּשׁ֨וּ (came) אֵלַ֤י (to me) הַשָּׂרִים֙ (the leaders) לֵאמֹ֔ר (saying), לֹֽא־ (Not) נִבְדְּל֞וּ (have separated themselves) הָעָ֤ם (the people) יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ (of Israel) וְהַכֹּהֲנִ֣ים (and the priests) וְהַלְוִיִּ֔ם (and the Levites) מֵעַמֵּ֖י (from the peoples) הָאֲרָצ֑וֹת (of the lands) כְּ֠תוֹעֲבֹֽתֵיהֶם (as to their abominations), לַכְּנַעֲנִ֨י (even the Canaanite), הַחִתִּ֜י (the Hittite), הַפְּרִזִּ֣י (the Perizzite), הַיְבוּסִ֗י (the Jebusite), הָֽעַמֹּנִי֙ (the Ammonite), הַמֹּ֣אָבִ֔י (the Moabite), הַמִּצְרִ֖י (the Egyptian), וְהָאֱמֹרִֽי׃ (and the Amorite). 2  כִּֽי־ (For) נָשְׂא֣וּ (they have taken) מִבְּנֹֽתֵיהֶ֗ם (from their daughters) לָהֶם֙ (for themselves) וְלִבְנֵיהֶ֔ם (and for their sons), וְהִתְעָֽרְבוּ֙ (and is mixed) זֶ֣רַע (seed) הַקֹּ֔דֶשׁ (the holy) בְּעַמֵּ֖י (with the peoples) הָאֲרָצ֑וֹת (of the lands). וְיַ֧ד (And indeed the hand) הַשָּׂרִ֣ים (of the leaders) וְהַסְּגָנִ֗ים (and the rulers) הָֽיְתָ֛ה (has been) בַּמַּ֥עַל (in the trespass) הַזֶּ֖ה (this) רִאשׁוֹנָֽה׃ס (foremost).

3  וּכְשָׁמְעִי֙ (And at my hearing) אֶת־ (-) הַדָּבָ֣ר (the word) הַזֶּ֔ה (this), קָרַ֥עְתִּי (I tore) אֶת־ (-) בִּגְדִ֖י (my garment) וּמְעִילִ֑י (and my robe), וָאֶמְרְטָ֞ה (and I pulled out) מִשְּׂעַ֤ר (some of the hair) רֹאשִׁי֙ (of my head) וּזְקָנִ֔י (and beard), וָאֵשְׁבָ֖ה (and I sat down) מְשׁוֹמֵֽם׃ (appalled).

4  וְאֵלַ֣י (And to me) יֵאָסְפ֗וּ (and they assembled) כֹּ֤ל (everyone) חָרֵד֙ (trembling) בְּדִבְרֵ֣י (at the words) אֱלֹהֵֽי־ (of the God) יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל (of Israel), עַ֖ל (because) מַ֣עַל (the trespass) הַגּוֹלָ֑ה (of the exiles). וַאֲנִי֙ (And I) יֹשֵׁ֣ב (sat) מְשׁוֹמֵ֔ם (appalled) עַ֖ד (until) לְמִנְחַ֥ת (the sacrifice) הָעָֽרֶב׃ (of the evening).

Ezra’s Prayer of Confession

5  וּבְמִנְחַ֣ת (And at sacrifice) הָעֶ֗רֶב (of the evening) קַ֚מְתִּי (I arose) מִתַּֽעֲנִיתִ֔י (from my humiliation) וּבְקָרְעִ֥י (and having torn) בִגְדִ֖י (my garment) וּמְעִילִ֑י (and my robe), וָֽאֶכְרְעָה֙ (and I fell) עַל־ (on) בִּרְכַּ֔י (my knees) וָאֶפְרְשָׂ֥ה (and spread out) כַפַּ֖י (my hands) אֶל־ (to) יְהוָ֥ה (YHWH) אֱלֹהָֽי׃ (my God), 6  וָאֹמְרָ֗ה (and I said),

אֱלֹהַי֙ (O my God), בֹּ֣שְׁתִּי (I am too ashamed) וְנִכְלַ֔מְתִּי (and humiliated) לְהָרִ֧ים (to lift up), אֱלֹהַ֛י (my God), פָּנַ֖י (my face) אֵלֶ֑יךָ (to You), כִּ֣י (for) עֲוֺנֹתֵ֤ינוּ (our iniquities) רָבוּ֙ (have risen) לְמַ֣עְלָה (higher than) רֹּ֔אשׁ (the head), וְאַשְׁמָתֵ֥נוּ (and our guilt) גָדְלָ֖ה (has grown up) עַ֥ד (as far as) לַשָּׁמָֽיִם׃ (to the heavens). 7  מִימֵ֣י (Since the days) אֲבֹתֵ֗ינוּ (of our fathers) אֲנַ֙חְנוּ֙ (we have) בְּאַשְׁמָ֣ה (guilt) גְדֹלָ֔ה (great) עַ֖ד (to) הַיּ֣וֹם (the day) הַזֶּ֑ה (this), וּבַעֲוֺנֹתֵ֡ינוּ (and in our iniquities) נִתַּ֡נּוּ (we have been given)— אֲנַחְנוּ֩ (we), מְלָכֵ֨ינוּ (our kings), כֹהֲנֵ֜ינוּ (our priests)— בְּיַ֣ד׀ (into the hand) מַלְכֵ֣י (of the kings) הָאֲרָצ֗וֹת (of the lands), בַּחֶ֜רֶב (with the sword), בַּשְּׁבִ֧י (with captivity), וּבַבִּזָּ֛ה (and with spoil), וּבְבֹ֥שֶׁת (and with shame) פָּנִ֖ים (of face), כְּהַיּ֥וֹם (as day) הַזֶּֽה׃ (this).

8  וְעַתָּ֡ה (And) כִּמְעַט־ (for little) רֶגַע֩ (a while) הָיְתָ֨ה (has come) תְחִנָּ֜ה (grace) מֵאֵ֣ת׀ (from) יְהוָ֣ה (YHWH) אֱלֹהֵ֗ינוּ (our God), לְהַשְׁאִ֥יר (to leave a remnant) לָ֙נוּ֙ (to us) פְּלֵיטָ֔ה (to escape), וְלָתֶת־ (and to give) לָ֥נוּ (us) יָתֵ֖ד (a stake) בִּמְק֣וֹם (in place) קָדְשׁ֑וֹ (His holy), לְהָאִ֤יר (that may enlighten) עֵינֵ֙ינוּ֙ (our eyes) אֱלֹהֵ֔ינוּ (our God) וּלְתִתֵּ֛נוּ (and give us) מִֽחְיָ֥ה (revival) מְעַ֖ט (a little) בְּעַבְדֻתֵֽנוּ׃ (in our bondage). 9  כִּֽי־ (For) עֲבָדִ֣ים (slaves) אֲנַ֔חְנוּ (we were), וּבְעַבְדֻ֔תֵנוּ (and in our bondage) לֹ֥א (not) עֲזָבָ֖נוּ (did forsake us) אֱלֹהֵ֑ינוּ (our God), וַֽיַּט־ (and He extended) עָלֵ֣ינוּ (to us) חֶ֡סֶד (mercy) לִפְנֵי֩ (in the eyes) מַלְכֵ֨י (of the kings) פָרַ֜ס (of Persia), לָֽתֶת־ (to give) לָ֣נוּ (to us) מִֽחְיָ֗ה (revival), לְרוֹמֵ֞ם (to lift up) אֶת־ (-) בֵּ֤ית (the house) אֱלֹהֵ֙ינוּ֙ (of our God), וּלְהַעֲמִ֣יד (and to rebuild) אֶת־ (-) חָרְבֹתָ֔יו (its ruins), וְלָֽתֶת־ (and to give) לָ֣נוּ (to us) גָדֵ֔ר (a wall) בִּֽיהוּדָ֖ה (in Judah) וּבִירוּשָׁלִָֽם׃ס (and Jerusalem).

10  וְעַתָּ֛ה (And) מַה־ (what) נֹּאמַ֥ר (shall we say) אֱלֹהֵ֖ינוּ (our God), אַֽחֲרֵי־ (after) זֹ֑את (this)? כִּ֥י (For) עָזַ֖בְנוּ (we have forsaken) מִצְוֺתֶֽיךָ׃ (Your commandments), 11  אֲשֶׁ֣ר (which) צִוִּ֗יתָ (You commanded) בְּיַ֨ד (by) עֲבָדֶ֣יךָ (Your servants) הַנְּבִיאִים֮ (the prophets), לֵאמֹר֒ (saying), הָאָ֗רֶץ (The land) אֲשֶׁ֨ר (that) אַתֶּ֤ם (you⁺) בָּאִים֙ (are entering) לְרִשְׁתָּ֔הּ (to possess) אֶ֤רֶץ (a land) נִדָּה֙ (of impurity) הִ֔יא (it is), בְּנִדַּ֖ת (by the impurity) עַמֵּ֣י (of the peoples) הָאֲרָצ֑וֹת (of the lands) בְּתוֹעֲבֹֽתֵיהֶ֗ם (with their abominations) אֲשֶׁ֥ר (that) מִלְא֛וּהָ (have filled it) מִפֶּ֥ה (from one end) אֶל־ (to) פֶּ֖ה (another) בְּטֻמְאָתָֽם׃ (with their uncleanness). 12  וְ֠עַתָּה (And now), בְּֽנוֹתֵיכֶ֞ם (your⁺ daughters) אַל־ (not) תִּתְּנ֣וּ (do give as wives) לִבְנֵיהֶ֗ם (for their sons), וּבְנֹֽתֵיהֶם֙ (and their daughters) אַל־ (not) תִּשְׂא֣וּ (lift) לִבְנֵיכֶ֔ם (to your⁺ sons), וְלֹֽא־ (and never) תִדְרְשׁ֧וּ (seek) שְׁלֹמָ֛ם (their peace) וְטוֹבָתָ֖ם (or prosperity) עַד־ (even to) עוֹלָ֑ם (forever), לְמַ֣עַן (that) תֶּחֶזְק֗וּ (you⁺ may be strong) וַאֲכַלְתֶּם֙ (and eat) אֶת־ (-) ט֣וּב (the good) הָאָ֔רֶץ (of the land), וְהוֹרַשְׁתֶּ֥ם (and give possession) לִבְנֵיכֶ֖ם (to your⁺ children) עַד־ (even to) עוֹלָֽם׃ (forever).

13  וְאַֽחֲרֵי֙ (And after) כָּל־ (all) הַבָּ֣א (that has come) עָלֵ֔ינוּ (upon us) בְּמַעֲשֵׂ֙ינוּ֙ (for our deeds) הָרָעִ֔ים (evil), וּבְאַשְׁמָתֵ֖נוּ (and for our guilt) הַגְּדֹלָ֑ה (great) כִּ֣י׀ (since) אַתָּ֣ה (You) אֱלֹהֵ֗ינוּ (our God) חָשַׂ֤כְתָּֽ (you have restrained it) לְמַ֙טָּה֙ (to lower) מֵֽעֲוֺנֵ֔נוּ (than our iniquities) וְנָתַ֥תָּה (and have given) לָּ֛נוּ (us) פְּלֵיטָ֖ה (a deliverance) כָּזֹֽאת׃ (like this)) 14  הֲנָשׁוּב֙ (should we turn back) לְהָפֵ֣ר (to break) מִצְוֺתֶ֔יךָ (Your commandments) וּ֨לְהִתְחַתֵּ֔ן (and join in marriage) בְּעַמֵּ֥י (with the peoples) הַתֹּעֵב֖וֹת (of abominations) הָאֵ֑לֶּה (these)? הֲל֤וֹא (Would not) תֶֽאֱנַף־ (You be angry) בָּ֙נוּ֙ (with us) עַד־ (until) כַּלֵּ֔ה (You had consumed us), לְאֵ֥ין (without) שְׁאֵרִ֖ית (remnant) וּפְלֵיטָֽה׃פ (or survivor)?

15  יְהוָ֞ה (O YHWH) אֱלֹהֵ֤י (God) יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ (of Israel), צַדִּ֣יק (righteous) אַ֔תָּה (You are), כִּֽי־ (for) נִשְׁאַ֥רְנוּ (we are left) פְלֵיטָ֖ה (as a remnant) כְּהַיּ֣וֹם (as the day) הַזֶּ֑ה (this). הִנְנ֤וּ (Here we are) לְפָנֶ֙יךָ֙ (before You) בְּאַשְׁמָתֵ֔ינוּ (in our guilt), כִּ֣י (though) אֵ֥ין (no one) לַעֲמ֛וֹד (can stand) לְפָנֶ֖יךָ (before You) עַל־ (because) זֹֽאת׃פ (of this).