New International VersionHalf of their children spoke the language of Ashdod or the language of one of the other peoples, and did not know how to speak the language of Judah.
New Living TranslationFurthermore, half their children spoke the language of Ashdod or of some other people and could not speak the language of Judah at all.
English Standard VersionAnd half of their children spoke the language of Ashdod, and they could not speak the language of Judah, but only the language of each people.
Berean Standard BibleHalf of their children spoke the language of Ashdod or of the other peoples, but could not speak the language of Judah.
King James BibleAnd their children spake half in the speech of Ashdod, and could not speak in the Jews' language, but according to the language of each people.
New King James VersionAnd half of their children spoke the language of Ashdod, and could not speak the language of Judah, but spoke according to the language of one or the other people.
New American Standard BibleAs for their children, half spoke in the language of Ashdod, and none of them knew how to speak the language of Judah, but only the language of his own people.
NASB 1995As for their children, half spoke in the language of Ashdod, and none of them was able to speak the language of Judah, but the language of his own people.
NASB 1977As for their children, half spoke in the language of Ashdod, and none of them was able to speak the language of Judah, but the language of his own people.
Legacy Standard BibleAs for their children, half spoke in the language of Ashdod, and none of them was able to speak the language of Judah, but only the tongue of his own people.
Amplified BibleAs for their children, half spoke in the language of Ashdod, and none of them knew how to speak [Hebrew] the language of Judah, but only the language of his own people.
Christian Standard BibleHalf of their children spoke the language of Ashdod or the language of one of the other peoples but could not speak Hebrew.
Holman Christian Standard BibleHalf of their children spoke the language of Ashdod or the language of one of the other peoples but could not speak Hebrew.
American Standard Versionand their children spake half in the speech of Ashdod, and could not speak in the Jews' language, but according to the language of each people.
Contemporary English VersionAbout half of their children could not speak Hebrew--they spoke only the language of Ashdod or some other foreign language.
English Revised Versionand their children spake half in the speech of Ashdod, and could not speak in the Jews' language, but according to the language of each people.
GOD'S WORD® TranslationHalf their children spoke the language of Ashdod or one of the other languages, but they couldn't understand the language of Judah well enough to speak it.
Good News TranslationHalf of their children spoke the language of Ashdod or some other language and didn't know how to speak our language.
International Standard VersionFurthermore, their children spoke half of the time in the language of Ashdod, and could not speak in the language of Judah. Instead, they spoke in the languages of various peoples.
NET BibleHalf of their children spoke the language of Ashdod (or the language of one of the other peoples mentioned) and were unable to speak the language of Judah.
New Heart English Bibleand their children spoke half in the speech of Ashdod, and could not speak in the Judean language, but according to the language of each people.
Webster's Bible TranslationAnd their children spoke half in the speech of Ashdod, and could not speak in the Jews language, but according to the language of each people. Majority Text Translations Majority Standard BibleHalf of their children spoke the language of Ashdod or of the other peoples, but could not speak the language of Judah.
World English Bibleand their children spoke half in the speech of Ashdod, and could not speak in the Jews’ language, but according to the language of each people. Literal Translations Literal Standard VersionAnd of their sons, half are speaking Ashdoditish—and are not knowing to speak Jewish—and according to the language of people and people.
Young's Literal Translation And of their sons, half are speaking Ashdoditish -- and are not knowing to speak Jewish -- and according to the language of people and people.
Smith's Literal TranslationAnd their sons half speaking the Ashdod dialect, and they not knowing to speak the Judean dialect, and according to the tongue of people and people. Catholic Translations Douay-Rheims BibleAnd their children spoke half in the speech of Azotus, and could not speak the Jews' language, but they spoke according to the language of this and that people.
Catholic Public Domain VersionAnd their sons spoke partly in the speech of Ashdod, and they did not know how to speak the Jewish language, and they were speaking according to the language of one people or another.
New American BibleOf their children, half spoke the language of Ashdod, or of one of the other peoples, and none of them knew how to speak the language of Judah.
New Revised Standard Versionand half of their children spoke the language of Ashdod, and they could not speak the language of Judah, but spoke the language of various peoples. Translations from Aramaic Lamsa BibleAnd their children spoke half in the language of Ashdod and in the other half they could not intelligently speak in the Jewish language, but according to the language of each people.
Peshitta Holy Bible TranslatedAnd their children were speaking half Ashdodite language and half did not know how to speak the Judean language except according to the tongue of the Gentiles. OT Translations JPS Tanakh 1917and their children spoke half in the speech of Ashdod, and could not speak in the Jews' language, but according to the language of each people.
Brenton Septuagint Translationand their children spoke half in the language of Ashdod, and did not know how to speak in the Jewish language.
Additional Translations ... Audio Bible
Context Intermarriage Forbidden23In those days I also saw Jews who had married women from Ashdod, Ammon, and Moab. 24Halfof their childrenspokethe language of Ashdodor ofthe other peoples,but couldnotspeakthe 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!…
Cross References Ezra 9:1-2After these things had been accomplished, the leaders approached me and said, “The people of Israel, including the priests and Levites, have not kept themselves separate from the surrounding peoples whose abominations are like those of the Canaanites, Hittites, Perizzites, Jebusites, Ammonites, Moabites, Egyptians, and Amorites. / Indeed, the Israelites have taken some of their daughters as wives for themselves and their sons, so that the holy seed has been mixed with the people of the land. And the leaders and officials have taken the lead in this unfaithfulness!”
Deuteronomy 7:3-4Do not intermarry with them. Do not give your daughters to their sons or take their daughters for your sons, / because they will turn your sons away from following Me to serve other gods. Then the anger of the LORD will burn against you, and He will swiftly destroy you.
1 Kings 11:1-2King Solomon, however, loved many foreign women along with the daughter of Pharaoh—women of Moab, Ammon, Edom, and Sidon, as well as Hittite women. / These women were from the nations about which the LORD had told the Israelites, “You must not intermarry with them, for surely they will turn your hearts after their gods.” Yet Solomon clung to these women in love.
Malachi 2:11Judah has broken faith; an abomination has been committed in Israel and in Jerusalem. For Judah has profaned the LORD’s beloved sanctuary by marrying the daughter of a foreign god.
Judges 3:5-6Thus the Israelites continued to live among the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites. / And they took the daughters of these people in marriage, gave their own daughters to their sons, and served their gods.
2 Kings 17:24Then the king of Assyria brought people from Babylon, Cuthah, Avva, Hamath, and Sepharvaim and settled them in the towns of Samaria to replace the Israelites. They took possession of Samaria and lived in its towns.
2 Kings 17:33-34They worshiped the LORD, but they also served their own gods according to the customs of the nations from which they had been carried away. / To this day they are still practicing their former customs. None of them worship the LORD or observe the statutes, ordinances, laws, and commandments that the LORD gave the descendants of Jacob, whom He named Israel.
2 Chronicles 30:7-8Do not be like your fathers and brothers who were unfaithful to the LORD, the God of their fathers, so that He made them an object of horror, as you can see. / Now do not stiffen your necks as your fathers did. Submit to the LORD and come to His sanctuary, which He has consecrated forever. Serve the LORD your God, so that His fierce anger will turn away from you.
Isaiah 2:6For You have abandoned Your people, the house of Jacob, because they are filled with influences from the east; they are soothsayers like the Philistines; they strike hands with the children of foreigners.
Hosea 7:8-9Ephraim mixes with the nations; Ephraim is an unturned cake. / Foreigners consume his strength, but he does not notice. Even his hair is streaked with gray, but he does not know.
Matthew 23:15Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You traverse land and sea to win a single convert, and when he becomes one, you make him twice as much a son of hell as you are.
2 Corinthians 6:14-17Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership can righteousness have with wickedness? Or what fellowship does light have with darkness? / What harmony is there between Christ and Belial? Or what does a believer have in common with an unbeliever? / What agreement can exist between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said: “I will dwell with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be My people.” ...
Ephesians 2:12remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world.
Galatians 2:11-14When Cephas came to Antioch, however, I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned. / For before certain men came from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles. But when they arrived, he began to draw back and separate himself, for fear of those in the circumcision group. / The other Jews joined him in his hypocrisy, so that by their hypocrisy even Barnabas was led astray. ...
Acts 10:28He said to them, “You know how unlawful it is for a Jew to associate with a foreigner or visit him. But God has shown me that I should not call any man impure or unclean.
Treasury of Scripture And their children spoke half in the speech of Ashdod, and could not speak in the Jews' language, but according to the language of each people. could not speak. Zephaniah 3:9 For then will I turn to the people a pure language, that they may all call upon the name of the LORD, to serve him with one consent. Jump to Previous AbleAshdodChildrenHalfJewishJewsJudahLanguagePeoplesSpeakSpeakingSpeechTalkingUseJump to Next AbleAshdodChildrenHalfJewishJewsJudahLanguagePeoplesSpeakSpeakingSpeechTalkingUseNehemiah 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.Half of their children spoke the language of AshdodThis phrase highlights the influence of foreign cultures on the Jewish community. Ashdod was one of the major Philistine cities, and its language would have been distinct from Hebrew. The Philistines were long-time adversaries of Israel, and their presence in the region was a constant source of tension. The fact that Jewish children were speaking the language of Ashdod indicates a significant level of cultural assimilation and a departure from their religious and cultural heritage. This situation reflects the broader issue of intermarriage with foreign peoples, which Nehemiah was addressing. The language barrier also symbolizes a spiritual and cultural divide, as language is a key component of identity and religious practice. or of the other peoples
This phrase suggests that the problem was not limited to Ashdod but included other surrounding nations. The Israelites were surrounded by various peoples, such as the Ammonites, Moabites, and Edomites, each with their own languages and customs. The influence of these cultures posed a threat to the distinct identity of the Jewish people, which was rooted in their covenant with God. The Torah explicitly warned against adopting the practices of surrounding nations (Deuteronomy 7:3-4), emphasizing the importance of maintaining a distinct identity. The presence of multiple foreign languages among the children indicates a widespread issue of cultural and religious compromise. but could not speak the language of Judah
The inability to speak the language of Judah, which was Hebrew, signifies a loss of connection to their heritage and religious traditions. Hebrew was not only the language of daily life but also the language of the Scriptures and worship. This loss would have made it difficult for the children to understand the Law of Moses, participate in religious ceremonies, and fully engage with their community's spiritual life. The language of Judah was a unifying factor for the Jewish people, and its erosion threatened their unity and faithfulness to God. This situation underscores the importance of language in preserving cultural and religious identity, as well as the challenges faced by the Jewish community in maintaining their distinctiveness amidst foreign influences. Persons / Places / Events 1. NehemiahThe central figure in the book, Nehemiah was a Jewish leader who played a crucial role in rebuilding Jerusalem's walls and reforming the community. His leadership was marked by a strong commitment to God's laws and the spiritual renewal of the people. 2. Children of Mixed MarriagesThe children mentioned in this verse were born to Jewish men and foreign women. Their inability to speak the language of Judah symbolizes a deeper issue of cultural and religious assimilation. 3. Language of AshdodAshdod was one of the Philistine cities. The reference to the language of Ashdod indicates the influence of foreign cultures and religions on the Jewish community. 4. Language of JudahThis refers to Hebrew, the language of the Jewish people and their scriptures. Speaking Hebrew was crucial for maintaining religious and cultural identity. 5. Cultural AssimilationThe event highlights the challenge of maintaining a distinct religious and cultural identity amidst foreign influences. Teaching Points The Importance of Language in FaithLanguage is not just a means of communication but a vessel for transmitting faith and values. Ensuring that children understand the language of their faith is crucial for spiritual continuity. Guarding Against Cultural AssimilationBelievers are called to be in the world but not of it. This requires vigilance in maintaining distinct Christian values and practices amidst a secular culture. The Role of Parents in Spiritual EducationParents have a responsibility to teach their children the language and principles of their faith, ensuring that they grow up with a strong spiritual foundation. Community ResponsibilityThe faith community must support families in nurturing the next generation, providing resources and encouragement for spiritual growth. Reform and RenewalLike Nehemiah, believers must be willing to take bold steps to address issues that threaten the integrity of their faith community. Bible Study Questions and Answers 1.What is the meaning of Nehemiah 13:24?
2.Why was it significant that children spoke "the language of Ashdod" in Nehemiah 13:24?
3.How does Nehemiah 13:24 highlight the importance of maintaining cultural and spiritual identity?
4.What other scriptures emphasize the importance of teaching children God's ways?
5.How can we ensure our children are grounded in biblical teachings today?
6.What steps can families take to prioritize spiritual education in their homes?
7.Why did Nehemiah react strongly to children speaking Ashdod in Nehemiah 13:24?
8.What does Nehemiah 13:24 reveal about cultural assimilation and its dangers?
9.How does Nehemiah 13:24 address the importance of language in maintaining religious identity?
10.What are the top 10 Lessons from Nehemiah 13?
11.Did God separate from Israel?
12.1 Chronicles 14:5-7 - Does the large number of children born to David in Jerusalem suggest an exaggerated account or a cultural practice at odds with later moral teachings?
13.Does 2 Kings 24:13 match external evidence about the treasures taken from the temple and palace, and have any such artifacts been found?
14.In 2 Chronicles 18:1-3, does Jehoshaphat's alliance with Ahab contradict biblical teachings against partnering with evil?What Does Nehemiah 13:24 Mean half of their childrenNehemiah recalls, “Half of their children” (Nehemiah 13:24), revealing that the issue was widespread, not isolated. A full fifty percent of the next generation born to mixed marriages (noted earlier inNehemiah 13:23) were being shaped more by foreign influence than by covenant life in Judah. This reminds us of God’s warning inDeuteronomy 7:3-4 that intermarriage with idol-worshiping nations would “turn your sons away from following Me”. Ezra had faced the same crisis a generation earlier (Ezra 9:1-2). By highlighting “half,” Nehemiah shows how quickly faith can erode when homes are divided in spiritual allegiance (cf.1 Kings 11:4;2 Corinthians 6:14).
spoke the language of AshdodAshdod was a leading Philistine city (Joshua 11:22). Its language—and culture—carried the memory of Dagon worship (1 Samuel 5:1-5). When children “spoke the language of Ashdod,” they were absorbing the worldview that came with that tongue. Language shapes thinking, loyalties, and worship.Deuteronomy 6:6-7 commands parents to impress God’s words on their children “when you sit at home and when you walk along the road”. These families had instead allowed a rival vocabulary to fill daily conversation, dulling their children’s ears to the voice of the LORD.
or of the other peoplesNehemiah broadens the concern: some kids spoke “the language…of the other peoples.” Earlier verses mention Ammonite and Moabite marriages (Nehemiah 13:23). Those nations historically opposed Israel (Numbers 22:1-6;Nehemiah 4:7-8). The children’s speech revealed divided roots, echoing Israel’s compromise under Ahab when Baal’s prophets flourished (1 Kings 18:21). It also fulfils the pattern warned inExodus 34:15-16—foreign alliances lead to shared feasts, shared gods, and, eventually, shared language.
but could not speak the language of JudahTragically, these children “could not speak the language of Judah,” the tongue in which God’s Law, worship songs, and covenant history were recorded. Without it, they could not: • understand public reading of Scripture (Nehemiah 8:8) • sing Psalms of Zion (Psalm 137:4) • participate fully in temple life (2 Chronicles 34:14-18) Failure to speak Judah’s language meant a break in identity and mission.Proverbs 22:6 urges training a child “in the way he should go,” yet these parents had forfeited that calling. Nehemiah reacts by contending with them (Nehemiah 13:25-27), echoing Paul’s later warning that “bad company corrupts good character” (1 Corinthians 15:33).
summaryNehemiah 13:24 exposes how mixed marriages produced a generation fluent in foreign speech but illiterate in the language of God’s people. Half the children mirrored Ashdod and neighboring nations, signaling a drift from covenant truth. Language here represents allegiance: when Judah’s tongue is lost, so is Judah’s heart. The verse therefore calls every believing home to guard the spiritual and cultural nurture of their children, ensuring that God’s words remain their first and most familiar language. (24) Half in the speech ofAshdod.--A mixture of Philistine and Aramaic. Verse 24. - Their children spake half in the speech of Ashdod. Some understand the writer to mean that half of the children in a family spoke the tongue of the father, and half that of the mother. But many of the best Hebraists prefer the sense expressed by our translators, viz., that all the children spoke a jargon half Ashdodite and half Aramaic. The Philistine language is said to have resembled the Egyptian (Hieronym., 'Comment. in Esaiam,' 19:18).
Parallel Commentaries ...
Hebrew Halfחֲצִי֙(ḥă·ṣî)Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 2677:The half, middleof their childrenוּבְנֵיהֶ֗ם(ū·ḇə·nê·hem)Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine plural
Strong's 1121:A sonspokeמְדַבֵּ֣ר(mə·ḏab·bêr)Verb - Piel - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 1696:To arrange, to speak, to subduethe language of Ashdodאַשְׁדּוֹדִ֔ית(’aš·dō·w·ḏîṯ)Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 797:In the language of Ashdodor ofוְכִלְשׁ֖וֹן(wə·ḵil·šō·wn)Conjunctive waw, Preposition-k | Noun - common singular construct
Strong's 3956:The tonguethe other peoples,עַ֥ם(‘am)Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 5971:A people, a tribe, troops, attendants, a flockbut could notוְאֵינָ֥ם(wə·’ê·nām)Conjunctive waw | Adverb | third person masculine plural
Strong's 369:A non-entity, a negative particlespeakלְדַבֵּ֣ר(lə·ḏab·bêr)Preposition-l | Verb - Piel - Infinitive construct
Strong's 1696:To arrange, to speak, to subdueHebrew.יְהוּדִ֑ית(yə·hū·ḏîṯ)Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 3066:The Jewish -- language
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OT History: Nehemiah 13:24 And their children spoke half (Neh Ne) |
