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)

Details of the Vow