Nehemiah 13:25

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Nehemiah 13:23-31

We have here one instance more of Nehemiah's pious zeal for the purifying of his countrymen as a peculiar people to God; that was the thing he aimed at in the use of his power, not the enriching of himself. See here, I. How they had corrupted themselves by marrying strange wives. This was complained of in Ezra's time, and much done towards a reformation, Ezra 9:1-10:44 But, when the unclean spirit is cast out, if a watchful eye be not kept upon him, he will re-enter; so he did here. Though in... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Nehemiah 13:25

And I contended with them ,.... Argued with them, faithfully admonished them, and sharply reproved them: and cursed them ; assuring them that the curse of God would come upon them, unless they repented. Aben Ezra interprets it of excommunicating them, either with "Cherem" or "Niddui", which were two sorts of excommunication among the Jews; but it is a question whether as yet those were used by them: and smote certain of them ; ordered them to be beaten with rods or scourges, as... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Nehemiah 13:25

I contended with them - Proved the fact against these iniquitous fathers, in a legal assembly. And cursed them - Denounced the judgments of God and the sentence of the law upon them. Smote certain of them - Had them punished by whipping. And plucked off their hair - Had them shaven, as a mark of the greatest ignominy. And made them swear by God , saying , Ye shall not give - Caused them to bind themselves by an oath, that they would... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Nehemiah 13:1-31

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Nehemiah 13:1-31

The blessing of God on an active life founded upon his word. I. THE TRUE RELIGIOUS REFORMATION , both negative and positive. 1. Abuses must be vigorously attacked and cleansed away. The house of God has to be purified of strangers. The neglect of discipline a terrible evil. Unfaithful ministers the curse of the Church. The "mixed multitude" is no strength to Jerusalem, but weakness. The observance of the sabbath. To the Jew a typical commandment, which represented... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Nehemiah 13:23-29

Forbidden marriages. This chapter might have been written to bring into pointed contrast the promises of the people ( Nehemiah 10:1-39 .) and their subsequent practice. In nearly every particular the covenant so solemnly made was broken. We have recorded in this paragraph— I. A GREAT EVIL . 1. Marriages with foreign women. It is probable that the Jews referred to here lived near the territories occupied by the peoples from whom they took wives. Marriage with such was... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Nehemiah 13:23-31

Unholy alliance (a lesson for the young). Beside the forsaking of the house of the Lord consequent on the neglect to pay tithes, and the disregard of the sabbath, Nehemiah had to lament another grave evil which had grown up during his absence in Persia. In these verses we have— I. A CASE OF ALARMING DEFECTION . "In those days" of his return some of the Jews had married "wives of Ashdod, of Ammon, and of Moab" (verse 23). Ezra had encountered the same evil, and vehemently and... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Nehemiah 13:25

I contended with them, and cursed them . Or, "reviled them," as Gesenius and Professor Lee explain. And smote certain of them . i.e. "had some of them beaten." Some understand by this that the offenders underwent the bastinado by sentence of a court ( Deuteronomy 25:2 ); others think Nehemiah had them struck informally by his attendants. This latter explanation 'is supported by the following clause, since "plucking out the hair" was never a legal punishment. Made them swear by God .... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Nehemiah 13:25

Nehemiah 13:25. And I contended with them, &c. These words, it must be acknowledged as proceeding from Nehemiah’s own mouth, sound somewhat harshly in our translation; but the meaning of them seems to be only as follows: I contended with them That is, I expostulated the matter with them; I cursed them That is, excommunicated them, and cast them out of the society of God’s people; in the doing of which, I denounced God’s judgments against them; I smote certain of them That is, I... read more

Donald C. Fleming

Bridgeway Bible Commentary - Nehemiah 13:4-31

Nehemiah’s later reforms (13:4-31)After serving twelve years as governor of Jerusalem, Nehemiah returned to Persia for a period (see 5:14; 13:6). During his absence the religion of the Jews deteriorated, while the Jews’ old enemies, Sanballat and Tobiah, gained some influence in Jerusalem. The high priest Eliashib was especially blameworthy in this. He allowed a member of the high priestly family to marry the daughter of Sanballat (see v. 28), and gave permission to Tobiah to live in one of the... read more

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