v 4 Then all who trembled at the words of the God of Israel came and sat with me because of this outrage committed by the returned exiles. And I sat there utterly appalled until the time of the evening sacrifice.
And what was the outrage? The holy race has become polluted by these mixed marriages. Worse yet, the leaders and officials have led the way in this outrage.” (v 2). Marriage between Jews and Pagans were destroying the purity of the Hebrew faith and worship. There are many examples in Hebrew history of Kings marrying pagan wives. King Ahab, who married Jezebel, was one notorious example. (1 Kings 16:31) And as though it were not enough to follow the sinful example of Jeroboam, he married Jezebel, the daughter of King Ethbaal of the Sidonians, and he began to bow down in worship of Baal.
Unequal marriages can still do the same!
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