Ezra 9:12
New International Version
Therefore, do not give your daughters in marriage to their sons or take their daughters for your sons. Do not seek a treaty of friendship with them at any time, that you may be strong and eat the good things of the land and leave it to your children as an everlasting inheritance.’

New Living Translation
Don’t let your daughters marry their sons! Don’t take their daughters as wives for your sons. Don’t ever promote the peace and prosperity of those nations. If you follow these instructions, you will be strong and will enjoy the good things the land produces, and you will leave this prosperity to your children forever.’

English Standard Version
Therefore do not give your daughters to their sons, neither take their daughters for your sons, and never seek their peace or prosperity, that you may be strong and eat the good of the land and leave it for an inheritance to your children forever.’

Berean Standard Bible
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.’

King James Bible
Now therefore give not your daughters unto their sons, neither take their daughters unto your sons, nor seek their peace or their wealth for ever: that ye may be strong, and eat the good of the land, and leave it for an inheritance to your children for ever.

New King James Version
Now therefore, do not give your daughters as wives for their sons, nor take their daughters to your sons; and never seek their peace or prosperity, that you may be strong and eat the good of the land, and leave it as an inheritance to your children forever.’

New American Standard Bible
So now do not give your daughters to their sons nor take their daughters for your sons, and never seek their peace or their prosperity, so that you may be strong and may eat the good things of the land, and leave it as an inheritance to your sons forever.’

NASB 1995
So now do not give your daughters to their sons nor take their daughters to your sons, and never seek their peace or their prosperity, that you may be strong and eat the good things of the land and leave it as an inheritance to your sons forever.’

NASB 1977
‘So now do not give your daughters to their sons nor take their daughters to your sons, and never seek their peace or their prosperity, that you may be strong and eat the good things of the land and leave it as an inheritance to your sons forever.’

Legacy Standard Bible
So now do not give your daughters to their sons nor take their daughters to your sons, and never seek their peace or their prosperity, that you may be strong and eat the good things of the land and leave it as a possession to your sons forever.’

Amplified Bible
So now do not give your daughters to their sons or take their daughters for your sons; and never seek their peace or their prosperity, so that you may be strong and eat the good things of the land and leave it as an inheritance to your children forever.’

Christian Standard Bible
So do not give your daughters to their sons in marriage or take their daughters for your sons. Never pursue their welfare or prosperity, so that you will be strong, eat the good things of the land, and leave it as an inheritance to your sons forever.”

Holman Christian Standard Bible
So do not give your daughters to their sons in marriage or take their daughters for your sons. Never seek their peace or prosperity, so that you will be strong, eat the good things of the land, and leave it as an inheritance to your sons forever.”

American Standard Version
now therefore give not your daughters unto their sons, neither take their daughters unto your sons, nor seek their peace or their prosperity for ever; that ye may be strong, and eat the good of the land, and leave it for an inheritance to your children for ever.

Contemporary English Version
And we were warned not to let our daughters and sons marry their sons and daughters. Your prophets also told us never to help those foreigners or even let them live in peace. You wanted us to become strong and to enjoy the good things in the land, then someday to leave it to our children forever.

English Revised Version
now therefore give not your daughters unto their sons, neither take their daughters unto your sons, nor seek their peace or their prosperity t for ever: that ye may be strong, and eat the good of the land, and leave it for an inheritance to your children for ever.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
So never let your daughters marry their sons or your sons marry their daughters, and never seek peace or trade with them. Then you will be strong, be able to eat the good things the land produces, and be able to give this land as a long-lasting inheritance to your children.'

Good News Translation
They told us that we were never to intermarry with those people and never to help them prosper or succeed if we wanted to enjoy the land and pass it on to our descendants forever.

International Standard Version
So, therefore, do not give your daughters in marriage to their sons, nor marry their daughters to your sons, and under no circumstances are you to seek their well-being or their wealth, so that you may remain strong, enjoying the best things the land has to give, and so that you may establish an inheritance for your children forever.'

Majority Standard Bible
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.?

NET Bible
Therefore do not give your daughters in marriage to their sons, and do not take their daughters in marriage for your sons. Do not ever seek their peace or welfare, so that you may be strong and may eat the good of the land and may leave it as an inheritance for your children forever.'

New Heart English Bible
Now therefore do not give your daughters to their sons, neither take their daughters to your sons, nor seek their peace or their prosperity forever; that you may be strong, and eat the good of the land, and leave it for an inheritance to your children forever.'

Webster's Bible Translation
Now therefore give not your daughters to their sons, neither take their daughters to your sons, nor seek their peace or their wealth for ever: that ye may be strong, and eat the good of the land, and leave it for an inheritance to your children for ever.

World English Bible
Now therefore don’t give your daughters to their sons. Don’t take their daughters to your sons, nor seek their peace or their prosperity forever, that you may be strong and eat the good of the land, and leave it for an inheritance to your children forever.’
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
and now, your daughters you do not give to their sons, and their daughters you do not take to your sons, and you do not seek their peace, and their good—for all time, so that you are strong, and have eaten the good of the land, and given possession to your sons for all time.

Young's Literal Translation
and now, your daughters ye do not give to their sons, and their daughters ye do not take to your sons, and ye do not seek their peace, and their good -- unto the age, so that ye are strong, and have eaten the good of the land, and given possession to your sons unto the age.

Smith's Literal Translation
And now ye shall not give your daughters to their sons, and ye shall not take their daughters to your sons, and ye shall not seek their peace and their good even forever, so that ye shall be strong and eat the good of the land, and cause to your sons to inherit even forever.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
Now therefore give not your daughters to their sons, and take not their daughters for your sons, and seek not their peace, nor their prosperity forever: that you may be strengthened, and may eat the good things of the land, and may have your children your heirs for ever.

Catholic Public Domain Version
Now therefore, you should not give your daughters to their sons, nor should you receive their daughters for your sons. And you should not seek their peace, nor their prosperity, even forever. So shall you be strengthened, and so shall you eat the good things of the land, and have your sons as your heirs, even for all time.

New American Bible
Do not, then, give your daughters to their sons in marriage, and do not take their daughters for your sons. Never promote their welfare and prosperity; thus you will grow strong, enjoy the produce of the land, and leave it as an inheritance to your children forever.

New Revised Standard Version
Therefore do not give your daughters to their sons, neither take their daughters for your sons, and never seek their peace or prosperity, so that you may be strong and eat the good of the land and leave it for an inheritance to your children forever.’
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
Now therefore give not your daughters to their sons, neither take their daughters to your sons, nor seek their peace or their prosperity for ever, that you may be strong, and eat the good of the land and leave it for an inheritance to your children for ever.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And from now on you shall not give your daughters to their sons, and you shall not take their daughters for your sons, and you shall not seek their peace and their good for eternity, so that you will be strengthened and you shall eat the good things of the land, and you shall give an inheritance to your children, and they will possess it as long as eternity.
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
Now therefore give not your daughters unto their sons, neither take their daughters unto your sons, nor seek their peace or their prosperity for ever; that ye may be strong, and eat the good of the land, and leave it for an inheritance to your children for ever.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And now give not your daughters to their sons, and take not of their daughters for your sons, neither shall ye seek their peace or their good for ever: that ye may be strong, and eat the good of the land, and transmit it as an inheritance to your children for ever.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Ezra's Prayer of Confession
11that 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. 12Now, 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.’ 13After 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),…

Cross References
Deuteronomy 7:3-4
Do not intermarry with them. Do not give your daughters to their sons or take their daughters for your sons, / because they will turn your sons away from following Me to serve other gods. Then the anger of the LORD will burn against you, and He will swiftly destroy you.

Nehemiah 13:25-27
I rebuked them and called down curses on them. I beat some of these men and pulled out their hair. Then I made them take an oath before God and said, “You must not give your daughters in marriage to their sons or take their daughters as wives for your sons or for yourselves! / Did not King Solomon of Israel sin in matters like this? There was not a king like him among many nations, and he was loved by his God, who made him king over all Israel—yet foreign women drew him into sin. / Must we now hear that you too are doing all this terrible evil and acting unfaithfully against our God by marrying foreign women?”

Exodus 34:15-16
Do not make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land, for when they prostitute themselves to their gods and sacrifice to them, they will invite you, and you will eat their sacrifices. / And when you take some of their daughters as brides for your sons, their daughters will prostitute themselves to their gods and cause your sons to do the same.

Joshua 23:12-13
For if you turn away and cling to the rest of these nations that remain among you, and if you intermarry and associate with them, / know for sure that the LORD your God will no longer drive out these nations before you. Instead, they will become for you a snare and a trap, a scourge in your sides and thorns in your eyes, until you perish from this good land that the LORD your God has given you.

1 Kings 11:1-2
King Solomon, however, loved many foreign women along with the daughter of Pharaoh—women of Moab, Ammon, Edom, and Sidon, as well as Hittite women. / These women were from the nations about which the LORD had told the Israelites, “You must not intermarry with them, for surely they will turn your hearts after their gods.” Yet Solomon clung to these women in love.

2 Corinthians 6:14-17
Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership can righteousness have with wickedness? Or what fellowship does light have with darkness? / What harmony is there between Christ and Belial? Or what does a believer have in common with an unbeliever? / What agreement can exist between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said: “I will dwell with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be My people.” ...

1 Corinthians 7:39
A wife is bound to her husband as long as he lives. But if her husband dies, she is free to marry anyone she wishes, as long as he belongs to the Lord.

Malachi 2:11
Judah has broken faith; an abomination has been committed in Israel and in Jerusalem. For Judah has profaned the LORD’s beloved sanctuary by marrying the daughter of a foreign god.

Judges 3:5-6
Thus the Israelites continued to live among the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites. / And they took the daughters of these people in marriage, gave their own daughters to their sons, and served their gods.

1 Corinthians 5:9-11
I wrote you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people. / I was not including the sexually immoral of this world, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters. In that case you would have to leave this world. / But now I am writing you not to associate with anyone who claims to be a brother but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or a verbal abuser, a drunkard or a swindler. With such a man do not even eat.

2 Kings 17:33-34
They worshiped the LORD, but they also served their own gods according to the customs of the nations from which they had been carried away. / To this day they are still practicing their former customs. None of them worship the LORD or observe the statutes, ordinances, laws, and commandments that the LORD gave the descendants of Jacob, whom He named Israel.

2 Corinthians 11:2-3
I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy. For I promised you to one husband, to present you as a pure virgin to Christ. / I am afraid, however, that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent’s cunning, your minds may be led astray from your simple and pure devotion to Christ.

1 Peter 2:9-12
But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, to proclaim the virtues of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light. / Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. / Beloved, I urge you, as foreigners and exiles, to abstain from the desires of the flesh, which war against your soul. ...

Leviticus 20:26
You are to be holy to Me because I, the LORD, am holy, and I have set you apart from the nations to be My own.

Romans 12:2
Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God.


Treasury of Scripture

Now therefore give not your daughters to their sons, neither take their daughters to your sons, nor seek their peace or their wealth for ever: that you may be strong, and eat the good of the land, and leave it for an inheritance to your children for ever.

give not

Exodus 23:32
Thou shalt make no covenant with them, nor with their gods.

Exodus 34:16
And thou take of their daughters unto thy sons, and their daughters go a whoring after their gods, and make thy sons go a whoring after their gods.

Deuteronomy 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.

nor seek their peace

Deuteronomy 23:6
Thou shalt not seek their peace nor their prosperity all thy days for ever.

2 Chronicles 19:2
And Jehu the son of Hanani the seer went out to meet him, and said to king Jehoshaphat, Shouldest thou help the ungodly, and love them that hate the LORD? therefore is wrath upon thee from before the LORD.

2 John 1:10,11
If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed: …

that ye may

Deuteronomy 6:1,2
Now these are the commandments, the statutes, and the judgments, which the LORD your God commanded to teach you, that ye might do them in the land whither ye go to possess it: …

Joshua 1:6-9
Be strong and of a good courage: for unto this people shalt thou divide for an inheritance the land, which I sware unto their fathers to give them…

and eat

Isaiah 1:19
If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land:

and leave it

Genesis 18:18,19
Seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him? …

Psalm 112:1,2
Praise ye the LORD. Blessed is the man that feareth the LORD, that delighteth greatly in his commandments…

Proverbs 13:22
A good man leaveth an inheritance to his children's children: and the wealth of the sinner is laid up for the just.

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Ezra 9
1. Ezra mourns for the affinity of the people with strangers
5. He prays unto God, with confession of sins














Therefore
This word connects the current instruction to the preceding context. In Hebrew, it is often translated from "לָכֵן" (lakhen), which implies a conclusion or result based on previous statements. Here, it refers to the earlier verses where Ezra laments the intermarriage with pagan nations, which was against God's commandments. The use of "therefore" emphasizes the seriousness of the situation and the need for immediate corrective action.

do not give your daughters in marriage to their sons
The phrase underscores a prohibition against intermarriage with the surrounding pagan nations. The Hebrew culture placed significant importance on maintaining purity of faith and practice, which could be compromised through such unions. Historically, intermarriage often led to the introduction of idolatry and foreign customs, as seen in the accounts of Solomon and other kings. This command is rooted in the desire to preserve the covenant community's distinct identity and faithfulness to God.

or take their daughters for your sons
This mirrors the previous phrase, reinforcing the prohibition from both directions—giving and taking in marriage. The repetition highlights the importance of the command. In the ancient Near Eastern context, marriage alliances were often political, but for Israel, they were to be spiritual and covenantal, ensuring that the worship of Yahweh remained pure and untainted by foreign influences.

Never seek their peace or prosperity
This directive is about maintaining a distinct separation from the pagan nations. The Hebrew word for "peace" is "שָׁלוֹם" (shalom), which encompasses wholeness, welfare, and prosperity. By instructing the Israelites not to seek the peace or prosperity of these nations, God is calling them to rely solely on Him for their well-being and success, rather than forming alliances that could lead them away from His commandments.

so that you may be strong
The strength mentioned here is both spiritual and communal. In Hebrew, "חָזַק" (chazaq) means to be strong, firm, or resolute. The Israelites' strength was to come from their obedience to God and their distinct identity as His chosen people. This strength would enable them to withstand external pressures and remain faithful to their covenant with God.

and eat the good things of the land
This phrase promises the blessings of the Promised Land, a recurring theme in the Old Testament. The "good things" refer to the abundance and fertility of the land, which was a gift from God. The Israelites' enjoyment of these blessings was contingent upon their obedience and faithfulness to God's commands, including the prohibition against intermarriage.

and leave it as an inheritance to your sons forever
The concept of inheritance is central to the covenant promises made to Abraham and his descendants. The Hebrew word "נַחֲלָה" (nachalah) signifies a possession or heritage. This inheritance was not just physical land but also the spiritual legacy of being God's people. The promise of a perpetual inheritance underscores the importance of maintaining covenant faithfulness to ensure that future generations would continue to enjoy God's blessings and fulfill His purposes.

Verse 12. - Give not your daughters, etc. Here Deuteronomy 7:3 is plainly referred to, though not verbally quoted. This is the sole place in the Law where the double injunction is given, Exodus 34:16 referring to the taking of wives only. Nor seek their peace or their wealth for ever. So Moses had enjoined with special reference to the Moabites and Ammonites (Deuteronomy 23:6). With regard to the other idolatrous nations, the exact command was "to make no covenant with them" (Exodus 23:32; Exodus 34:12), i.e. no terms of peace. Much the same was probably meant by both injunctions. That ye may be strong. See Deuteronomy 11:8. And eat the good of the land. These words are taken from Isaiah 1:19. And leave it for an inheritance, etc. No single passage seems to be referred to here, but the clause embodies the idea found in Deuteronomy 11:9; Proverbs 10:27; Ezekiel 37:25, and elsewhere.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Now, therefore,
וְ֠עַתָּה (wə·‘at·tāh)
Conjunctive waw | Adverb
Strong's 6258: At this time

do not
אַל־ (’al-)
Adverb
Strong's 408: Not

give
תִּתְּנ֣וּ (tit·tə·nū)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine plural
Strong's 5414: To give, put, set

your daughters {in marriage}
בְּֽנוֹתֵיכֶ֞ם (bə·nō·w·ṯê·ḵem)
Noun - feminine plural construct | second person masculine plural
Strong's 1323: A daughter

to their sons
לִבְנֵיהֶ֗ם (liḇ·nê·hem)
Preposition-l | Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine plural
Strong's 1121: A son

or take
תִּשְׂא֣וּ (tiś·’ū)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine plural
Strong's 5375: To lift, carry, take

their daughters
וּבְנֹֽתֵיהֶם֙ (ū·ḇə·nō·ṯê·hem)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine plural construct | third person masculine plural
Strong's 1323: A daughter

for your sons.
לִבְנֵיכֶ֔ם (liḇ·nê·ḵem)
Preposition-l | Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine plural
Strong's 1121: A son

Never
וְלֹֽא־ (wə·lō-)
Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808: Not, no

seek
תִדְרְשׁ֧וּ (ṯiḏ·rə·šū)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine plural
Strong's 1875: To tread, frequent, to follow, to seek, ask, to worship

their peace
שְׁלֹמָ֛ם (šə·lō·mām)
Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine plural
Strong's 7965: Safe, well, happy, friendly, welfare, health, prosperity, peace

or prosperity,
וְטוֹבָתָ֖ם (wə·ṭō·w·ḇā·ṯām)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine plural
Strong's 2896: Pleasant, agreeable, good

so that
לְמַ֣עַן (lə·ma·‘an)
Conjunction
Strong's 4616: Purpose -- intent

you may be strong
תֶּחֶזְק֗וּ (te·ḥez·qū)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine plural
Strong's 2388: To fasten upon, to seize, be strong, obstinate, to bind, restrain, conquer

and may eat
וַאֲכַלְתֶּם֙ (wa·’ă·ḵal·tem)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine plural
Strong's 398: To eat

the good things
ט֣וּב (ṭūḇ)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 2898: Good, goodness, beauty, gladness, welfare

of the land,
הָאָ֔רֶץ (hā·’ā·reṣ)
Article | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 776: Earth, land

leaving it as an inheritance
וְהוֹרַשְׁתֶּ֥ם (wə·hō·w·raš·tem)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine plural
Strong's 3423: To occupy, to seize, to rob, to inherit, to expel, to impoverish, to ruin

to your sons
לִבְנֵיכֶ֖ם (liḇ·nê·ḵem)
Preposition-l | Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine plural
Strong's 1121: A son

forever.?
עַד־ (‘aḏ-)
Preposition
Strong's 5704: As far as, even to, up to, until, while


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OT History: Ezra 9:12 Now therefore don't give your daughters (Ezr. Ez)
Ezra 9:11
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