As soon as the people heard this law, they excluded from Israel all of foreign descent.
Parallel translations
- WEB It came to pass, when they had heard the law, that they separated all the mixed multitude from Israel.
- KJV Now it came to pass, when they had heard the law, that they separated from Israel all the mixed multitude.
- NKJV So it was, when they had heard the Law, that they separated all the mixed multitude from Israel.
- NASB So when they heard the Law, they excluded all foreigners from Israel.
- NLT When this passage of the Law was read, all those of foreign descent were immediately excluded from the assembly.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Having heard the law, the people separated all the mixed multitude from Israel. It matters because hearing God's Word led to immediate, costly obedience and renewed holiness.
Overview
In response to Scripture, the community removed those of foreign mixture who compromised their covenant identity. The episode shows a people willing to act on God's Word even when it required hard separation. While this reflects Israel's call to holiness, the gospel ultimately reconciles believing Gentiles into one new people in Christ, separated not by ethnicity but by faith.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 11
- Neh 9:2Those of Israelite descent separated themselves from all the foreigners, and they stood and confessed their sins and the iniquities of their fathers.
- Exod 12:38And a mixed multitude also went up with them, along with great droves of livestock, both flocks and herds.
- Num 11:4Meanwhile, the rabble among them had a strong craving for other food, and again the Israelites wept and said, “Who will feed us meat?
- Neh 10:28“The rest of the people—the priests, Levites, gatekeepers, singers, temple servants, and all who had separated themselves from the people of the land to obey the Law of God—along with their wives and all their sons and daughters who are able to understand,
- Jas 1:27Pure and undefiled religion before our God and Father is this: to care for orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.
- Prov 6:23For this commandment is a lamp, this teaching is a light, and the reproofs of discipline are the way to life,
- Ps 119:9How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to Your word.
- Ps 119:11I have hidden Your word in my heart that I might not sin against You.
- Ps 19:7–11The Law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of the LORD is trustworthy, making wise the simple.
- Rom 3:20Therefore no one will be justified in His sight by works of the law. For the law merely brings awareness of sin.
- Ezra 10:11Now, therefore, make a confession to the LORD, the God of your fathers, and do His will. Separate yourselves from the people of the land and from your foreign wives.”
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Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
Christ at the center
The rebuilt walls and renewed covenant community foreshadow the greater builder who gathers and secures a people for God, the one who declares 'I will build my church.'
How Nehemiah 13:3 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.