23In those days I also saw Jews who had married women from Ashdod, Ammon, and Moab.
24Half of their children spoke the language of Ashdod or of the other peoples, but could not speak the language of Judah.
25I rebuked them and called down curses on them. I beat some of these men and pulled out their hair. Then I made them take an oath before God and said, “You must not give your daughters in marriage to their sons or take their daughters as wives for your sons or for yourselves!
26Did not King Solomon of Israel sin in matters like this? There was not a king like him among many nations, and he was loved by his God, who made him king over all Israel—yet foreign women drew him into sin.
27Must we now hear that you too are doing all this terrible evil and acting unfaithfully against our God by marrying foreign women?”
28Even one of the sons of Jehoiada son of Eliashib the high priest had become a son-in-law to Sanballat the Horonite. Therefore I drove him away from me.
29Remember them, O my God, because they have defiled the priesthood and the covenant of the priesthood and of the Levites.
30Thus I purified the priests and Levites from everything foreign, and I assigned specific duties to each of the priests and Levites.
31I also arranged for contributions of wood at the appointed times, and for the firstfruits. Remember me, O my God, with favor.