30 ^lWe will not give our daughters to the peoples of the land or take their daughters for our sons.

Nehemiah’s Final Reforms

1 On that day they ^aread from the Book of Moses in the hearing of the people. And ^bin it was found written that no Ammonite or Moabite should ever enter the assembly of God, 2 for they did not meet the people of Israel with bread and water, ^cbut hired Balaam against them to curse them—^dyet our God turned the curse into a blessing. 3 As soon as the people heard the law, they ^eseparated from Israel all those of foreign descent.

23 In those days also I saw the Jews who had ^mmarried women of Ashdod, Ammon, and Moab. 24 And half of their children spoke the language of Ashdod, and they could not speak the language of Judah, but only the ⁿlanguage of each people. 25 And I confronted them and cursed them and beat some of them and ^opulled out their hair. And I ^pmade them take an oath in the name of God, saying, “You shall not give your daughters to their sons, or take their daughters for your sons or for yourselves. 26 ^qDid not Solomon king of Israel sin on account of such women? Among the many nations ^rthere was no king like him, and he was ^sbeloved by his God, and God made him king over all Israel. Nevertheless, foreign women made even him to sin. 27 Shall we then listen to you and do all this great evil and act treacherously against our God by marrying foreign women?”