27 Shall we then hearken unto you to do all this great evil, to transgress against our God in marrying strange wives?
27 Must we hear now that you too are doing all this terrible wickedness and are being unfaithful to our God by marrying foreign women?"
27 Shall we then listen to you and do all this great evil and act treacherously against our God by marrying foreign women?"
27 Do you call this obedience - engaging in this extensive evil, showing yourselves faithless to God by marrying foreign wives?"
27 Should we then hear of your doing all this great evil, transgressing against our God by marrying pagan women?"
27 How could you even think of committing this sinful deed and acting unfaithfully toward God by marrying foreign women?"
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Nehemiah 13:27
Commentary on Nehemiah 13:23-31
(Read Nehemiah 13:23-31)
If either parent be ungodly, corrupt nature will incline the children to take after that one; which is a strong reason why Christians should not be unequally yoked. In the education of children, great care should be taken about the government of their tongues; that they learn not the language of Ashdod, no impious or impure talk, no corrupt communication. Nehemiah showed the evil of these marriages. Some, more obstinate than the rest, he smote, that is, ordered them to be beaten by the officers according to the law, Deuteronomy 25:2,3. Here are Nehemiah's prayers on this occasion He prays, "Remember them, O my God." Lord, convince and convert them; put them in mind of what they should be and do. The best services to the public have been forgotten by those for whom they were done, therefore Nehemiah refers himself to God, to recompense him. This may well be the summary of our petitions; we need no more to make us happy than this; Remember me, O my God, for good. We may humbly hope that the Lord will remember us and our services, although, after lives of unwearied activity and usefulness, we shall still see cause to abhor ourselves and repent in dust and ashes, and to cry out with Nehemiah, Spare me, O my God, according to the greatness of they mercy.