God’s Word Translation
Ezra 9:12
12So 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.’
Ezra 9:12 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)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 International Version (NIV)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.’
- English Standard Version (ESV)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.'
- New King James Version (NKJV)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.’
Context of Ezra 9:12
10“And now, our God, what can we say after all this? We have abandoned your commandments! 11The commandments you gave us through your servants the prophets, said, ‘The land you are going to take possession of has been polluted by its perverted people and by their disgusting practices that have filled it with wickedness from one end to another. 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.’ 13“After all that has happened to us because of the evil things we have done and because of our overwhelming guilt, you, our God, have punished us far less than we deserve and have permitted a few of us to survive. 14If we break your commandments again and intermarry with people doing these disgusting things, you will become even more angry with us until you finally destroy us and no survivors are left.
Read all of Ezra 9Ezra 9:12 word by word
וְ֠עַתָּה בְּֽנוֹתֵיכֶ֞ם אַל־תִּתְּנ֣וּ לִבְנֵיהֶ֗ם וּבְנֹֽתֵיהֶם֙ אַל־תִּשְׂא֣וּ לִבְנֵיכֶ֔ם וְלֹֽא־תִדְרְשׁ֧וּ שְׁלֹמָ֛ם וְטוֹבָתָ֖ם עַד־עוֹלָ֑ם לְמַ֣עַן תֶּחֶזְק֗וּ וַאֲכַלְתֶּם֙ אֶת־ט֣וּב הָאָ֔רֶץ וְהוֹרַשְׁתֶּ֥ם לִבְנֵיכֶ֖ם עַד־עוֹלָֽם׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Now therefore giveנָתַןnâthan · to give: give(marriage)H5414
- not your daughtersבַּתbath · daughterH1323
- unto their sonsבֵּןbên · son: childH1121
- neither takeנָשָׂאnâώâ' nâsâh · to lift: marryH5375
- nor seekדָּרַשׁdârash · to seekH1875
- their peaceשָׁלוֹםshâlôm shâlôm · peaceH7965
- or their wealthטוֹבָהţôb · welfareH2896
- forעַד‛ad · tillH5704
- everעוֹלָם‛ôlâm ‛ôlâm · forever: enduringH5769
- that ye may be strongחָזַקchâzaq · to strengthen: strengthenH2388
- and eatאָכַל'âkal · to eatH398
- the goodטוּבţûb · goodnessH2898
- of the landאֶ֫רֶץ'erets · land: country/planetH776
- for an inheritanceיָרַשׁyârash yârêsh · to possess: possessH3423
Cross-references for Ezra 9:12
- Exodus 23:32Never make a treaty with them and their gods.
- Exodus 34:16Then your sons will end up marrying their daughters. When their daughters chase after their gods as though they were prostitutes, they’ll lead your sons to do the same thing.
- Deuteronomy 7:3Never marry any of them. Never let your daughters marry their sons or your sons marry their daughters.
- Joshua 23:12“But if you turn away and go along with the other nations within your ⌞borders⌟, if you intermarry with them or associate with them,
- Deuteronomy 23:6Never offer them peace or friendship as long as you live.
- 2 Chronicles 19:2Jehu, son of the seer Hanani, asked King Jehoshaphat, “Why do you help wicked people and love those who hate the Lord? The Lord’s anger is directed toward you because you have done this.
- 2 John 1:10If anyone comes to you and doesn’t bring these teachings, don’t take him into your home or even greet him.
- Deuteronomy 6:1These are the commands, laws, and rules the Lord your God commanded me to teach you. Obey them after you enter the land and take possession of it.
- Joshua 1:6Be strong and courageous, because you will help these people take possession of the land I swore to give their ancestors.
- Isaiah 1:19If you are willing and obedient, you will eat the best from the land.
- Genesis 18:18After all, Abraham is going to become a great and mighty nation and through him all the nations of the earth will be blessed.
- Psalms 112:1Hallelujah! Blessed is the person who fears the Lord and is happy to obey his commands.
- Proverbs 13:22Good people leave an inheritance to their grandchildren, but the wealth of sinners is stored away for a righteous person.
- Proverbs 20:7A righteous person lives on the basis of his integrity. Blessed are his children after he is gone.
Commentaries on Ezra 9:12
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 5-15Verses 5-15 The sacrifice, especially the evening sacrifice, was a type of the blessed Lamb of God, who in the evening of the world, was to take away sin by the sacrifice of himself. Ezra's address is a penitent confession of sin, the sin of his people. But let this be the comfort of true penitents, that though their sins reach to the heavens, God's mercy is in the heavens. Ezra, speaking of sin, speaks as one much ashamed. Holy shame is as necessary in…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 11-12Your servants the prophets, saying: God clearly explained what he expected from his people (see Deuteronomy 7:3–4; Malachi 2:10–12). He promised great blessings if they followed his covenant rules (see Leviticus 26:1–13; Deuteronomy 28:1–14; Jeremiah 32:36–33:18; Ezekiel 37:15–28; Hosea 14:1–8).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 5-155-15. I fell upon my knees, and spread out my hands unto the Lord my God--The burden of his prayer, which was dictated by a deep sense of the emergency, was that he was overwhelmed at the flagrant enormity of this sin, and the bold impiety of continuing in it after having, as a people, so recently experienced the heavy marks of the divine displeasure. God had begun to show returning favor to Israel by the restoration of some. But this only aggravated…Read the comment
Topics related to Ezra 9:12
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Ezra 9
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
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