“Now therefore give not your daughters unto their sons, neither take their daughters unto your sons, nor seek their peace or their wealth for ever: that ye may be strong, and eat the good of the land, and leave it for an inheritance to your children for ever.”
Therefore, do not give your daughters to their sons, neither take their daughters for your sons, and never seek their peace or prosperity, so that you may be strong and eat the good of the land and leave it for an inheritance to your children forever. The prayer quotes what is understood as a divine command to maintain strict separation from the peoples of the land regarding marriage and alliance. The promise that such separation will result in strength and prosperity frames endogamy as a practical necessity for survival and flourishing in the land. This verse demonstrates the post-exilic conviction that covenant purity and political security are inextricably linked.
COMMUNITY REFLECTIONS
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