23. In those days I also saw Yehuḏim who had married women of Ashdoḏ, Ammon, Mo’aḇ.
24. And half of their children spoke the language of Ashdoḏ, and could not speak the language of Yehuḏah, but spoke according to the language of one or the other people.
25. Then I contended with them and cursed them, and smote some of them and pulled out their hair, and made them swear by Elohim, saying, “You do not give your daughters as wives to their sons, nor take their daughters for your sons or yourselves.
26. “Did not Shelomoh sovereign of Yisra’ĕl sin because of them? Among the many nations there was no sovereign like him, who was beloved of his Elohim, and Elohim made him sovereign over all Yisra’ĕl. Even him foreign women caused to sin.
27. “Should we then hear of your doing all this great evil, trespassing against our Elohim by marrying foreign wives?”
28. And one of the sons of Yoyaḏa, son of Elyashiḇ the high priest, was a son-in-law of Sanballat the Ḥoronite. And I drove him from me.
29. Remember them, O my Elohim, because they have defiled the priesthood and the covenant of the priesthood, and of the Lĕwites.
30. Thus I cleansed them from all that is foreign. And I appointed duties to the priests and the Lĕwites, each in his task,
31. and for the wood offering and the first-fruits at appointed times. Remember me, O my Elohim, for good!