23 *In those days also saw I Jews that †ohad married wives of pAshdod, of qAmmon, and of qMoab: 24 And their children spake half in the speech of pAshdod, and †could not speak in the Jews’ language, but according to the language †of each people. 25 And I rcontended with them, and ||cursed them, and smote certain of them, and plucked off their hair, and smade them swear by God, saying, Ye shall not give your daughters unto their sons, nor take their daughters unto your sons, or for yourselves. 26 tDid not Solomon king of Israel sin by these things? yet uamong many nations was there no king like him, xwho was beloved of his God, and God made him king over all Israel: nevertheless even him did outlandish women cause to sin. 27 Shall we then hearken unto you to do all this great evil, to ytransgress against our God in marrying strange wives? 28 And one of the sons zof Joiada, the son of aEliashib the high priest, was son in law to bSanballat the Horonite: therefore I chased him from me. 29 cRemember them, O my God, †because they have defiled the priesthood, and dthe covenant of the priesthood, and of the Levites.