³ No Ammonite or Moabite may enter the Lord’s assembly;^(A) none of their descendants, even to the tenth generation, may ever enter the Lord’s assembly.

Israel’s Intermarriage with Pagans

9 After these things had been done, the leaders approached me and said: “The people of Israel, the priests, and the Levites have not separated themselves^(A) from the surrounding peoples whose detestable practices^(B) are like those of the Canaanites, Hittites, Perizzites, Jebusites, Ammonites, Moabites, Egyptians, and Amorites.^{(C) 2} Indeed, the Israelite men^[a] have taken some of their daughters as wives for themselves and their sons, so that the holy seed^(D) has become mixed with the surrounding peoples.^(E) The leaders^[b] and officials have taken the lead in this unfaithfulness!”^(F)

Nehemiah’s Further Reforms

13 At that time^(A) the book of Moses^(B) was read publicly to^[a] the people.^(C) The command was found written in it that no Ammonite or Moabite^(D) should ever enter the assembly of God,^{(E) 2} because they did not meet the Israelites with food and water. Instead, they hired Balaam against them to curse them,^(F) but our God turned the curse into a blessing.^{(G) 3} When they heard the law, they separated all those of mixed descent^(H) from Israel.

¹¹ Judah has acted treacherously, and a detestable^(A) thing has been done in Israel and in Jerusalem. For Judah has profaned^(B) the Lord’s sanctuary,^[a](C) which He loves,^(D) and has married the daughter of a foreign god.^[b](E)