The Meaning of Nehemiah 13:23 Explained

Nehemiah 13:23

KJV: In those days also saw I Jews that had married wives of Ashdod, of Ammon, and of Moab:

YLT: Also, in those days, I have seen the Jews who have settled women of Ashdod, of Ammon, of Moab.

Darby: In those days also I saw Jews that had married wives of Ashdod, of Ammon, and of Moab.

ASV: In those days also saw I the Jews that had married women of Ashdod, of Ammon, and of Moab:

KJV Reverse Interlinear

In those days  also saw  I Jews  [that] had married  wives  of Ashdod,  of Ammon,  [and] of Moab: 

What does Nehemiah 13:23 Mean?

Context Summary

Nehemiah 13:15-31 - A Disobedient And Gainsaying People
Let us remember to keep perpetual Sabbath in the heart, whatever be our outward life. In this life there is a Sabbath rest for the people of God, Hebrews 4:9, but we must labor to enter into it, and must set God's angel of peace to keep the door against all intruders, Philippians 4:7. Twenty years before, Ezra had dismissed the strange wives, but the evil had risen again. Alas, how sadly do children expose the inconsistencies of their parents, and betray the evil of unequal marriages! We see plenty of this around us; and where there is such a union, the balance is almost certain to turn in favor of the world and against vital godliness, Deuteronomy 7:4; 2 Corinthians 6:14. Nehemiah did not hesitate to add strong acts to strong words. Josephus says that this expelled priest was Manasseh, and that he went to his father-in-law, Sanballat, who built for him a temple on Mount Gerizim like that at Jerusalem, and that this was the origin of the religious rivalry and hatred between Samaritans and Jews, John 4:20. The faithful servant and the dying thief join in the same petition, Nehemiah 13:31. To be remembered by Jesus Christ is enough reward for any of us [source]

Chapter Summary: Nehemiah 13

1  Upon the reading of the law, separation is made from the mixed multitude
4  Nehemiah, at his return, causes the chambers to be cleansed
10  He reforms the offices in the house of God;
15  the violation of the Sabbath;
23  and the marriages with the strange wives

What do the individual words in Nehemiah 13:23 mean?

Also in days those I saw - Jews [who] had married women Ashdoditesses Ashdoditesses Ammonitesses Ammonitesses [and] Moabitesses
גַּ֣ם ׀ בַּיָּמִ֣ים הָהֵ֗ם רָאִ֤יתִי אֶת־ הַיְּהוּדִים֙ הֹשִׁ֗יבוּ נָשִׁים֙ [אשדודיות] (אַשְׁדֳּדִיּ֔וֹת‪‬) [עמוניות] (עַמֳּנִיּ֖וֹת‪‬) מוֹאֲבִיּֽוֹת

גַּ֣ם ׀  Also 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: גַּם  
Sense: also, even, indeed, moreover, yea.
בַּיָּמִ֣ים  in  days 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: יׄום 
Sense: day, time, year.
הָהֵ֗ם  those 
Parse: Article, Pronoun, third person masculine plural
Root: הֵם 
Sense: they, these, the same, who.
רָאִ֤יתִי  I  saw 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, first person common singular
Root: רָאָה 
Sense: to see, look at, inspect, perceive, consider.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
הַיְּהוּדִים֙  Jews 
Parse: Article, Proper Noun, masculine plural
Root: יְהוּדִי  
Sense: Jew.
הֹשִׁ֗יבוּ  [who]  had  married 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: יָשַׁב 
Sense: to dwell, remain, sit, abide.
נָשִׁים֙  women 
Parse: Noun, feminine plural
Root: אִשָּׁה  
Sense: woman, wife, female.
[אשדודיות]  Ashdoditesses 
Parse: Proper Noun, fb
(אַשְׁדֳּדִיּ֔וֹת‪‬)  Ashdoditesses 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine plural
Root: אַשְׁדֹּודִי  
Sense: an inhabitant of Ashdod.
[עמוניות]  Ammonitesses 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine plural
(עַמֳּנִיּ֖וֹת‪‬)  Ammonitesses 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine plural
Root: עַמֹּונִי  
Sense: descendants of Ammon and inhabitants of Ammon.
מוֹאֲבִיּֽוֹת  [and]  Moabitesses 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine plural
Root: מֹואָבִי  
Sense: an citizen of Moab.