Nehemiah 13:25

Amharic New Standard Translation (አማርኛ አዲሱ መደበኛ ትርጉም) 2005

እነዚህንም ሰዎች ገሠጽኳቸው፤ ረገምኳቸውም፤ ደብድቤም ጠጒራቸውን ነጨሁ፤ ከዚህም በኋላ እነርሱም ሆኑ ልጆቻቸው ከባዕዳን ሕዝብ ጋር ጋብቻ እንዳይፈጽሙ በእግዚአብሔር ስም አስማልኳቸው።

What Does This Mean?

Nehemiah is talking here, expressing his strong disapproval of Jewish people marrying foreigners. He took drastic measures to ensure that the people would not marry outsiders because he believed it would dilute their faith and identity.

Explained for Children

Imagine you're on a team, and your coach doesn't want you to play with kids from other teams because he thinks it might make you not play as well. Nehemiah is like that coach, telling people not to marry outsiders so they stay strong in their beliefs.

Historical Background

Nehemiah wrote this part of the book after returning to Jerusalem to rebuild the city walls and restore the faith of the Jewish people. He is addressing a specific issue where intermarriage with foreigners was seen as a threat to their religious identity and purity.

Living It Out Today

A modern scenario could be a parent not allowing their child to marry someone from a completely different culture because they fear it might disrupt family values and traditions. It emphasizes the importance of cultural and religious continuity.

Topics

• marriage
• faith
• cultural identity
• leadership
• community values
• divine will

Related Verses

• Ezra 9:12
• Exodus 34:11-16
• Deuteronomy 7:1-4
• 1 Corinthians 7:39
• 1 Corinthians 5:9-13

Frequently Asked Questions

Why was Nehemiah so strict about intermarriage?

Nehemiah believed that intermarriage with foreigners would dilute the faith and identity of the Jewish people, making them less faithful to God and their religious traditions.

How did Nehemiah enforce his rules?

Nehemiah took strong measures including verbal confrontation, cursing, physical punishment, and making people swear an oath not to intermarry with foreigners.

Is this verse relevant today?

This verse can be relevant today in discussions about cultural and religious continuity, though it’s important to consider the broader context of love and inclusivity in modern society.

What does this verse teach us about leadership?

This verse teaches that leaders must sometimes take strong measures to protect core values, but it also highlights the importance of dialogue and persuasion in leading a community.