Forbidden Marriages | The Outrage of Nehemiah: Reclaiming Our Sacred Tongue and Heritage

Inspired by Nehemiah's fervent outrage, this post explores the vital, inseparable link between cultural identity, heritage, and the preservation of our Hebrew language. It argues that losing our mother tongue is not merely a linguistic decline, but a profound spiritual crisis and a direct threat to our covenant identity and future as a people.

Introduction

Imagine returning to your ancestral land, after years of struggle and sacrifice to rebuild what was broken, only to find the very heart of your people's identity eroding from within. This was the infuriating reality that confronted Nehemiah, a man whose passion for his people and their covenant with the Almighty burned brighter than any temple flame. When he discovered that the children of Judah could no longer speak their sacred tongue, but only the languages of foreign nations [Nehemiah 13:23-24], his reaction was not one of mild disappointment, but profound, righteous outrage. This wasn't a trivial matter of dialect; it was a visible wound on the soul of the nation, a blaring siren signifying spiritual decay and an existential threat to Israel's covenant identity.

For us, the descendants of that same heritage, Nehemiah's indignation serves as a powerful, urgent call. It forces us to confront a critical question: If we lose our language, what else of ourselves do we lose?

The Outrage of Nehemiah: Reclaiming Our Sacred Tongue and Heritage

Nehemiah's fury was not born of xenophobia, but out of an acute understanding that language is far more than a tool for communication. It is the vessel of culture, the repository of history, the key to sacred texts, and the very breath through which our covenant with GOD is articulated and passed down through generations.

Consider the scene: Nehemiah, having poured his life into rebuilding Jerusalem’s walls, returns to find a different kind of breach – a linguistic and cultural chasm opening within the homes of Judah. He witnessed children, the future of the nation, speaking "half in the speech of Ashdod, and could not speak in the Hebrews’ language, but according to the language of each people" [Nehemiah 13:24]. This wasn't just a challenge; it was an abomination.

Why such outrage?

1. The Erosion of Covenant Identity: The Hebrew language was not merely a tribal tongue; it was the lashon ha'kodesh – the holy tongue. It was the language in which the Torah was given, in which the prophets spoke, and in which the covenant promises were enshrined. To lose this language was to sever a direct, living link to their divine inheritance. How could they truly understand the Law, sing the Psalms, or transmit the stories of Abraham, Moses, and David if the very words became foreign? This linguistic decay was a direct assault on their unique identity as GOD’S chosen people. As Moses warned, observing the commands, including those related to distinctness, was "your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the peoples" [Deuteronomy 4:6]. This is another reason why most leaders, teachers, pastors, and preachers don’t understand holy scripture-it was originally written in Hebrew and then mistranslated to English and other languages. This is why our nation is fully immersed in idolatry. Listening to “dumb dogs” that cannot bark! “Dumb dogs” that have no understanding of GOD’S laws.
2. The Threat of Assimilation and Spiritual Corruption: Nehemiah understood that language loss was a symptom of a deeper problem: widespread intermarriage with foreign peoples who did not share their faith or customs [Nehemiah 13:23]. He saw that these alliances were not just weakening family lines, but fundamentally compromising the spiritual purity and distinctiveness of Israel. When the mothers spoke only Ashdodite or Ammonite, the children learned those tongues, and with them, the gods, values, and worldviews of those cultures. This was precisely what the Law had warned against, "for they will turn away your sons from following me, to serve other gods" [Deuteronomy 7:4]. The inability to speak Judahite meant a decreased capacity to engage with and uphold the ancestral faith, leading to spiritual drift and eventual absorption into surrounding pagan cultures.
3. A Betrayal of Ancestral Sacrifice: The exiles had returned to rebuild, to restore. Their ancestors had endured slavery, wilderness wanderings, and Babylonian captivity to preserve this unique identity. For Nehemiah, witnessing the children unable to speak the language was a betrayal of every sacrifice made, every wall rebuilt, every prayer uttered for the continuation of their heritage. It was an insult to the very notion of a renewed Israel.

Nehemiah's response, though seemingly harsh – "And I contended with them, and cursed them, and smote certain of them, and plucked off their hair" [Nehemiah 13:25] – underscores the gravity of the situation. It was a desperate, visceral act to shock his people awake to the peril they faced. It was a declaration that this cultural decay was not passive; it was an active threat demanding an immediate, forceful response.

Conclusion: Our Enduring Responsibility

Nehemiah’s outrage echoes through the millennia, challenging us today. In an increasingly globalized world, where cultural identities are often diluted, his message is more relevant than ever. The preservation of our Hebrew language, alongside our cultural practices and historical narratives, is not a quaint hobby; it is a sacred duty. It is a vital act of self-preservation, a defensive wall against spiritual erosion, and a profound affirmation of our covenant identity.

To speak our language, to teach it to our children, to immerse ourselves in the heritage it carries – this is to honor the sacrifices of our ancestors and to safeguard the future of our people. It is to ensure that we, and generations yet unborn, remain fluent in the divine dialogue, rooted in the wisdom of our forebears, and unwavering in our unique path as a light unto the nations. Let Nehemiah’s outrage ignite within us a renewed passion to reclaim and cherish the precious gift of our heritage, starting with the vibrant, living breath of our sacred tongue.

Supporting Scriptures from the Old Testament

• Nehemiah 13:23-27: Nehemiah's discovery of intermarriage and language loss, and his strong reaction.
• Deuteronomy 4:6: Emphasizes that observing the commands (which imply distinctness) is their wisdom among nations.
• Deuteronomy 7:3-4: Warnings against intermarriage, specifically stating that foreign spouses will turn hearts away from GOD.
• Deuteronomy 6:6-7: Command to diligently teach GOD’S words to children, implying the necessity of a shared language to do so effectively.
• Ezra 9:1-2: Describes the problem of intermarriage and the defilement of the holy race.
• Isaiah 52:6: "Therefore my people shall know my name: therefore they shall know in that day that I am He that doth speak: behold, it is I." (Underscores the importance of knowing and speaking GOD’S words.)
• Psalm 137:1-6: The exiles' lament, refusing to sing YAH’S song in a foreign land, highlighting the connection between language, homeland, and worship.

I hope this blog post has been helpful. If you have any questions, please feel free to leave a comment below. Shalom qodesh qadasheem - the “set apart ones.”