Deuteronomy 7:3

KJV

Neither shalt thou make marriages with them; thy daughter thou shalt not give unto his son, nor his daughter shalt thou take unto thy son.

KJV (with Strong's)

Neither shalt thou make marriages {H2859} with them; thy daughter {H1323} thou shalt not give {H5414} unto his son {H1121}, nor his daughter {H1323} shalt thou take {H3947} unto thy son {H1121}.

Complete Jewish Bible

Don't intermarry with them -don't give your daughter to his son, and don't take his daughter for your son.

Berean Standard Bible

Do not intermarry with them. Do not give your daughters to their sons or take their daughters for your sons,

American Standard Version

neither shalt thou make marriages with them; thy daughter thou shalt not give unto his son, nor his daughter shalt thou take unto thy son.

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Deuteronomy 7:3 delivers a stringent divine prohibition against intermarriage between the Israelites and the inhabitants of the land of Canaan. This command, explicitly detailing the reciprocal ban on giving daughters to Canaanite sons and taking Canaanite daughters for Israelite sons, underscores God's unwavering commitment to maintaining Israel's distinct identity, spiritual purity, and covenantal fidelity. Its ultimate purpose was to safeguard Israel from the pervasive idolatry and corrupting influences of the surrounding nations, ensuring their exclusive devotion to Yahweh as His chosen people.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** This specific prohibition is nestled within a broader series of instructions given by Moses to the Israelites on the plains of Moab, just prior to their entry into the Promised Land. It immediately follows God's command for Israel to utterly destroy the seven nations dwelling in Canaan—the Hittites, Girgashites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites—who were "greater and mightier" than them ([Deuteronomy 7:1-2](/deuteronomy/7-1 "Deuteronomy 7:1-2 - Command to Drive Out Nations")). The ban on intermarriage is presented not as an isolated rule but as an essential component of this comprehensive strategy for separation, designed to prevent the spiritual contamination that would inevitably arise from intimate social and familial ties with pagan cultures. This passage sets the stage for the rationale behind God's choice of Israel and the blessings contingent upon their obedience, as detailed in the subsequent verses of [Deuteronomy 7](/deuteronomy/7 "Deuteronomy 7 - God's Covenant with Israel")).
* **Historical & Cultural Context:** The ancient Near East frequently utilized marriage as a means of forging political alliances, securing peace treaties, and facilitating cultural integration between different peoples. However, for Israel, such practices posed an existential threat to their unique identity as the covenant people of Yahweh. The Canaanite cultures were deeply entrenched in polytheism, fertility cults, and morally depraved practices, including child sacrifice. As the Israelites stood on the threshold of inheriting this land, God's command in [Deuteronomy 7:3](/deuteronomy/7-3 "Deuteronomy 7:3 - Prohibition of Intermarriage") served as a radical counter-cultural directive. It was designed to insulate Israel from the spiritual dangers of assimilation, ensuring their distinctiveness as a "holy people" consecrated exclusively to the one true God, in stark contrast to the surrounding nations.
* **Key Themes:** The prohibition in Deuteronomy 7:3 is deeply interwoven with several foundational themes within Deuteronomy and the broader Old Testament narrative. Foremost is the theme of **Holiness and Separation**, emphasizing God's intention for Israel to be a nation "set apart" for His purposes ([Deuteronomy 7:6](/deuteronomy/7-6 "Deuteronomy 7:6 - Israel as God's Holy People")). Intermarriage directly jeopardized this unique relationship and the spiritual integrity of the covenant community by blurring the lines between sacred and profane. This relates closely to **Covenant Fidelity**, as the command served as a critical safeguard for Israel's exclusive devotion to Yahweh. Mixing with pagan cultures, which worshipped false gods and practiced abhorrent customs, directly undermined their covenant obligations. The ultimate and most pressing danger, explicitly stated in [Deuteronomy 7:4](/deuteronomy/7-4 "Deuteronomy 7:4 - Consequence of Intermarriage"), was the **Prevention of Idolatry**, as intermarriage inevitably led to the adoption of the pagan practices and worship of the surrounding nations, provoking God's wrath and judgment.

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
#### Key Word Analysis
* **make marriages (Hebrew, _ḥātan'_):** This verb signifies the act of forming affinity by marriage, becoming a son-in-law or daughter-in-law, or entering into a family relationship through marriage. The use of this term here emphasizes not merely the physical union but the profound social, familial, and spiritual integration that intermarriage would entail. It points to the establishment of deep, enduring ties that could compromise the distinct spiritual identity of the Israelite family unit and, by extension, the entire nation.
* **give...take (Hebrew, _nātan...lāqaḥ'_):** These two verbs are used in conjunction to denote the comprehensive, bilateral nature of the prohibition. "Give" refers to the father's role in arranging the marriage of his daughter, while "take" refers to the son's (or his father's) action of acquiring a wife. Their combined use underscores that the ban applies equally to Israelite women marrying Canaanite men and Israelite men marrying Canaanite women, leaving no loophole for such forbidden unions.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"Neither shalt thou make marriages with them":** This opening clause establishes the overarching divine prohibition, setting a clear and uncompromising boundary against any form of marital alliance or familial integration with the inhabitants of Canaan. It serves as the general principle from which the subsequent specific prohibitions derive.
* **"thy daughter thou shalt not give unto his son":** This specifies the first scenario, directly addressing Israelite fathers and forbidding them from arranging or consenting to the marriage of their daughters to Canaanite men. This clause highlights the concern for safeguarding the spiritual integrity and lineage of Israelite women and their potential offspring within a foreign, idolatrous household.
* **"nor his daughter shalt thou take unto thy son":** This clause specifies the second scenario, prohibiting Israelite men (or their fathers acting on their behalf) from taking Canaanite women as wives for their sons. This addresses the reciprocal danger of introducing foreign religious practices, customs, and idolatrous influences directly into Israelite homes, thereby corrupting the spiritual purity of the Israelite family and community.

#### Literary Devices
Deuteronomy 7:3 employs several literary devices to convey its emphatic prohibition. The most prominent is **Direct Command/Prohibition**, utilizing the imperative mood ("shalt not") to underscore the divine authority and non-negotiable nature of the instruction. This directness leaves no room for ambiguity regarding God's will. The verse also employs a form of **Repetition** and **Parallelism** with the phrases "thy daughter thou shalt not give unto his son, nor his daughter shalt thou take unto thy son." This symmetrical structure emphasizes the comprehensive and bilateral scope of the ban, ensuring that both sides of potential intermarriage are explicitly covered. While not a perfect chiasm, the balanced "give...take" structure reinforces the all-encompassing nature of the command. The overall tone is one of **Legal Edict**, characteristic of covenant stipulations, designed to impress upon the Israelites the solemnity and crucial importance of maintaining their distinct identity.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
The prohibition in Deuteronomy 7:3 is not merely a social or ethnic regulation but a profound theological statement about God's holiness and His covenant relationship with Israel. It underscores that God's people must be set apart, distinct from the world's systems and idolatrous practices, to reflect His character. The command reveals God's jealous love for His people, desiring their exclusive devotion and protecting them from spiritual adultery. This principle of spiritual separation, rooted in God's own holiness, resonates throughout the biblical narrative, emphasizing that intimate alliances with those who do not share a foundational commitment to the one true God pose an inherent danger to faith and fidelity. The historical record, particularly the apostasy of King Solomon ([1 Kings 11:1-8](/1_kings/11-1 "1 Kings 11:1-8 - Solomon's Foreign Wives and Idolatry")), tragically illustrates the devastating consequences of violating this divine injunction.

* [Exodus 34:15-16](/exodus/34-15 "Exodus 34:15-16 - Warning Against Covenant with Inhabitants")
* [Ezra 9:1-2](/ezra/9-1 "Ezra 9:1-2 - Intermarriage as Transgression")
* [Nehemiah 13:23-27](/nehemiah/13-23 "Nehemiah 13:23-27 - Nehemiah's Rebuke of Mixed Marriages")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
While the specific historical context of Deuteronomy 7:3 applies to ancient Israel and the Canaanite nations, the underlying theological principle of guarding against influences that compromise one's faith remains profoundly relevant for believers today. This passage calls us to a deep spiritual discernment in all our relationships, especially in the most intimate covenant of marriage. For Christians, the New Testament echoes this call for spiritual unity, urging believers not to be "unequally yoked" with unbelievers ([2 Corinthians 6:14](/2_corinthians/6-14 "2 Corinthians 6:14 - Do Not Be Unequally Yoked")). This principle extends beyond marriage to all close associations, friendships, and even the media and philosophies we consume. It challenges us to evaluate whether our relationships and chosen influences draw us closer to Christ or subtly pull us away, compromising our devotion, values, and spiritual integrity. True spiritual purity involves a conscious commitment to align our lives and our closest connections with God's revealed will, ensuring that we are built up in faith and not led astray.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **How does the principle of spiritual separation from Deuteronomy 7:3 apply to our relationships and choices today, particularly in a pluralistic society?**
* **In what ways might "unequal yoking" manifest in a believer's life beyond marriage, and how can we guard against it in our friendships, business partnerships, or even entertainment choices?**
* **What practical steps can we take to ensure our closest relationships foster spiritual growth and steadfast fidelity to Christ, rather than compromising our walk with God?**

### FAQ
**Was this command about race or ethnicity?**

Answer: No, the command in Deuteronomy 7:3 was fundamentally about spiritual purity and covenant faithfulness, not racial prejudice. The concern was the religious practices and idolatry of the Canaanites, which posed a direct threat to Israel's unique relationship with Yahweh. God's primary fear was that intermarriage would lead Israel to "turn away from following me to serve other gods" ([Deuteronomy 7:4](/deuteronomy/7-4 "Deuteronomy 7:4 - Consequence of Intermarriage")). The divine directive was a spiritual safeguard, not an ethnic one.

**Does this command apply to Christians today regarding marriage?**

Answer: While the specific prohibition against marrying Canaanites is context-bound to ancient Israel, the underlying principle of spiritual separation and the dangers of compromising one's faith through intimate alliances are directly applicable to believers today. The New Testament reiterates this principle, most notably in [2 Corinthians 6:14](/2_corinthians/6-14 "2 Corinthians 6:14 - Do Not Be Unequally Yoked"), which urges believers not to be "unequally yoked together with unbelievers." This is widely understood to apply especially to marriage, encouraging Christians to choose partners who share their faith and commitment to Christ, ensuring spiritual harmony and mutual encouragement in their walk with God.

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
The Old Testament commands, such as the prohibition against intermarriage in Deuteronomy 7:3, highlight God's unwavering desire for a holy and set-apart people. Israel's consistent failure to maintain this separation, often succumbing to the idolatry of surrounding nations, underscores humanity's inherent inability to perfectly fulfill God's righteous demands. This brokenness ultimately points to the necessity of Christ. In Jesus, the ultimate "set-apart" one, believers are made truly holy and are consecrated to God not by external prohibitions alone, but by a new nature and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. The "separation" commanded in the Old Covenant finds its spiritual fulfillment in the New Covenant, where believers are called to be separated from sin and the world's values, rather than a physical separation from specific peoples. Christ himself came not to be unequally yoked with sin, but to purify a people for himself ([Titus 2:14](/titus/2-14 "Titus 2:14 - Christ Redeemed Us to Purify a People")). The Church, as the bride of Christ, is called to be pure and undefiled, reflecting the ultimate union of Christ and his redeemed people—a union that transcends ethnic or national boundaries and is founded on shared faith in the [Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world](/john/1-29 "John 1:29 - Jesus, the Lamb of God"). The New Covenant emphasizes an internal transformation that enables true spiritual separation and fidelity, empowered by the [Spirit to walk in newness of life](/romans/6-4 "Romans 6:4 - Newness of Life in Christ"), making us a [royal priesthood, a holy nation](/1_peter/2-9 "1 Peter 2:9 - A Chosen Race, a Royal Priesthood") in Him.

Note: Commentary is generated by AI with a directive for Biblical fidelity. Always rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

Cross-References

1 Kings 11:2

Of the nations [concerning] which the LORD said unto the children of Israel, Ye shall not go in to them, neither shall they come in unto you: [for] surely they will turn away your heart after their gods: Solomon clave unto these in love.

Joshua 23:12

Else if ye do in any wise go back, and cleave unto the remnant of these nations, [even] these that remain among you, and shall make marriages with them, and go in unto them, and they to you:

Joshua 23:13

Know for a certainty that the LORD your God will no more drive out [any of] these nations from before you; but they shall be snares and traps unto you, and scourges in your sides, and thorns in your eyes, until ye perish from off this good land which the LORD your God hath given you.

Exodus 34:15

Lest thou make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land, and they go a whoring after their gods, and do sacrifice unto their gods, and [one] call thee, and thou eat of his sacrifice;

Exodus 34:16

And thou take of their daughters unto thy sons, and their daughters go a whoring after their gods, and make thy sons go a whoring after their gods.

2 Corinthians 6:14

Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?

2 Corinthians 6:17

Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean [thing]; and I will receive you,